


Let me love you, baby

by softgrungeprophet



Series: Peachy [5]
Category: Venom (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bathing/Washing, Clothing, Dates, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Family, Gender, Intimacy, Lingerie, Love, Makeup, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Multi, Nervousness, Other, POV Multiple, Romance, Sensuality, Sleepy Cuddles, Underwear, Valentine's Day, Wedding Planning, Weddings, genderqueer flash thompson, probably out of character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-10-24 19:14:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 22,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17709980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softgrungeprophet/pseuds/softgrungeprophet
Summary: "When I was like, five, I wanted to be a housewife."





	1. Pre-Proposal (December)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie and the symbiote come to a conclusion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this starts out the same year Andi graduated, Eddie probably having moved in around like... July or August. (depending on things like leases)  
> So they've been dating for almost three years and living together for around 6 months. 
> 
> Which makes it just over a year since Andi gave Flash that tube of lipstick for his birthday. 
> 
> Flash is 32 (as of October), Eddie is 37-almost-38, and Andi is 21-almost-22.

It was cold, and late. Dark, with the lights off. Andi was asleep in her bedroom, every door in the apartment shut tight. Together, Eddie and Flash curled around each other in their cocoon of warm sheets and blankets, with the symbiote cementing them chest-to-back and twining its own embrace around their bodies.

Eddie buried his nose in Flash's hair—long and soft, curling slightly where it reached just shy of his shoulders.

Flash mumbled, "Hey, Eddie?"

Eddie hummed, shifting slightly.

"What did you wanna be when you were a kid?"

Now that was a question. Eddie breathed in the slightly fruity smell that still lingered in Flash's hair as he thought.

The symbiote flicked through a few of his memories, to assist.

"...Dinosaur veterinarian."

"What??" Flash laughed under his breath. "Really?"

"Really."

As if to punctuate his statement, he nipped at Flash's ear with a fake growl, the symbiote briefly darkening his voice and elongating his teeth. Flash squirmed, but still laughed. Eddie relented, and his other receded, and he traced the tip of his nose down the edge of Flash's ear. "Why... What did you want to be?"

Flash hunched his shoulders up. "It's dumb."

"I think _we_ should be the ones to decide that."

Flash sighed, gently.

The symbiote reached out to take one of his hands. Eddie felt their fingers lace together through his bond, a thousand dots of warmth that slowly settled into a dull glow as his other adjusted the sensory input streaming into his brain.

After a few long seconds, Flash mumbled, "When I was like, five, I wanted to be a housewife." He squeezed the symbiote's hand.

"I wanted to wear a sparkly ring and make dinner for my husband, like on TV." He laughed under his breath, a little sharper than Eddie would have liked. "It's silly, but... You know. I didn't know any better. I just thought that was something you could decide to be, like a mailman or a chef. Didn't take long for me to find out that wasn't how it worked." He paused. curled in on himself somewhat. "I was just a little kid. I just wanted to be like my mom."

[ **Eddie.** ] The symbiote pulled their fingers closer together. [ **We** **need to get Flash a ring...** ]

Gently, Eddie kissed the edge of Flash's ear, before asking, "What kind of gem?"

[ **Diamonds**.]

"Wh—" Flash fell into thought for a moment. "Uh, I dunno. I always kinda liked rubies."

Eddie pushed himself up slightly so he could kiss Flash's cheek, this time. "Give us until February."

"Why?" Flash twisted around to see him better, their noses bumping together as he focused on Eddie, slightly cross-eyed from their closeness. "What's in...." He trailed off, as he realized, sleepy and a little slow on the uptake. "Oh."

Eddie settled back into the pillows, drawing the blankets tighter around them both, pulling Flash against his chest with a low hum as the symbiote looped a few tendrils around their waists.

Softly, barely a breath of a word from Flash in the darkness—"Okay."

Eddie smiled into his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flash is like, out, in that he wears skirts and more feminine clothing on a regular basis (except at school), but he's not _out_ -out, and is still a little insecure about taking it further.  
> I'm still using masc pronouns for consistency and cause I honestly don't know what Flash would use... I was kind of thinking any/all for pronouns, with a preference for unisex or feminine titles/descriptors (like, say... bride or betrothed, or coach).
> 
>  
> 
> Obvs Flash has a full-time job and won't actually be a _housewife_ , and I don't think he'd want to be stuck at home anyway, but the point was the wife part, not the house part. 
> 
> This is the most self-indulgent kind of shit. This is what I think about at 7 am when i'm half asleep snuggled in bed. or on the bus, grinning like a doofus.  
> Lemme know if you think I need to add a tag or anything.  
> And there _will_ be more coming. 
> 
> Working title is "Second Wedding, First-Time Bride" lmfao  
> Actual title is from "[Can't Take My Eyes Off You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGFToiLtXro)" by Frankie Valli.


	2. Daily routine (January)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mornings in the Thompson-Brock-Benton household.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok ok i'm gonna add this cause it's not crucial to anything  
> but after this  
> the next update will be a big one on Valentine's Day. Even if I can't quite finish the whole proposal-through-honeymoon in time I'll definitely have the Valentine's Day-specific chapter ready by the 14th, no problem.

Flash always woke up before anyone else, so he could take a shower in the morning without worrying about taking too long.

Now, dried and dressed in some old pinned slacks and a polo shirt, he sat in his wheelchair, running his fingers through his hair as he blow-dried it. Andi had given him the blow-dryer for Christmas, and it proved a life-saver in the cold winter weather, with his hair so long now. Nothing worse than heading out into the cold with wet hair, even if the school was only a block or two away from their apartment.

He made one last pass, content for now, and made his way to the kitchen to get the water heated for his morning coffee. He set aside some of the hot water with a teabag to steep while his coffee stood, and settled on the couch to wait.

Like clockwork, just around the time the coffee needed to be pressed and poured, Eddie emerged from their bedroom in sweats, with the symbiote wrapped around him like a half-formed shirt. He disappeared into the kitchen for a minute and reappeared with Flash's coffee in one hand and his own mug of tea in the other. He sat beside Flash on the couch, handing Flash his coffee and setting his tea on the side table.

The symbiote formed a head to kiss Flash, followed closely by Eddie.

Flash turned his back to Eddie, holding the warm coffee up to his face to breathe it in—Eddie's hands settled on Flash's scalp and he began to pull Flash's hair back from his face, smoothing out any remaining tangles with his fingers, gentle and warm. Flash closed his eyes and sipped at his coffee as Eddie began to braid his hair.

Eddie hummed as he worked, some old Bing Crosby song Flash didn't quite know the words to.

At one point, he chuckled and said, "Yes, love." Presumably in response to something the symbiote had said to him. He tugged slightly on Flash's braid, tweaking something before wrapping it off with a hair tie he kept around his wrist and leaning forward to kiss Flash's shoulder. His beard tickled, slightly.

"Hm..." Flash leaned back against him, careful not to spill his coffee. "You missed a spot."

A little black tendril reached from Eddie's skin to toy with the loose strand of hair falling into Flash's face.

Eddie kissed his neck with a quiet, "No..." He wrapped his arms around Flash's waist, joined by the symbiote to hold him close. "I like it like that."

"Oh really?" Flash tilted his head so he could shoot Eddie a smile.

"It's cute."

Flash reveled in the warm feeling that sent through him.

He mumbled, "Do you _like_ me?" with a goofy grin.

Eddie snorted. "We've been together for two years and eight months."

"You have a _crush_ on me."

"Flash, please."

Flash laughed into his coffee.

Their morning progressed as usual—Eddie took his meds and they ate breakfast together, right around the time Andi emerged blearily from her room, hair a mess and barely coherent. Flash left at seven, leaving them behind to get ready for their respective jobs.

Always a little disappointing, to leave the warmth of the apartment behind, to brave the cold on the short walk to school.

But he knew when he came home, his family would be there waiting for him. (Or, more likely, he'd be there waiting for them.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (flash is using a french press for his coffee)
> 
> idk wtf eddie or andi's jobs are  
> eddie's is probably writing-related or something. andi's could be anything...
> 
>  
> 
> this is sooooooooooooo domestic
> 
> I've decided eddie's birthday is in january so he turns 38 during this month.... idk if before or after this chapter lol


	3. Pop the question (February)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flash and Eddie have a lovely Valentine's Day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's up you cool babies it's Valentine's Day  
> Whether you are single or taken, mingling, or spending the day with yourself and a nice box of chocolates you don't have to share with ANYONE, hope you have a good Valentine's Day and hope you enjoy this chapter.
> 
>  
> 
> As I thought, I was not able to complete the WHOLE fic in time, so for now I'll post this extra-chunky (compared to my usual) Valentine's specific chapter, and over the next couple of weeks I'll be adding the rest.
> 
> In this chapter we've got some insight into Flash's job as a teacher, we've got some clothes and makeup talk, we've got a romantic date, we've got a romantic bath, we've got some nerves, we've got a marriage proposal.....  
> how exciting

Flash adjusted his dorky, heart-emblazoned sweater before locking the classroom behind him—it was a Thursday, which meant it was a sex-ed day, which meant it was a wheelchair day, for him. And, it being Valentine's Day, he'd just wrapped up a long day of talking about safe sex and consent with a bunch of embarrassed, giggly teenagers.

But he felt good about it, as much as he'd had to push the school to allow him to shift gears from abstinence-only education to something more honest.

He wasn't stupid. He'd had sex as a teenager, he knew telling them to knock it off or wait until marriage wouldn't accomplish anything more than shame. So, every February, he did his unit on protection and navigating the choppy waters of hormones and lust and consent, and every February the students giggled. Of course, this was more of a brush-up unit, in addition to the larger January unit—just reminding the kids to use condoms and be safe, ask permission, and so on...

He liked to think that he was doing some good, in January and February, covering the basics but expanding into things like LGBT sex and sexuality, as much as he could in the brief window he had—things that might have helped him, growing up. That might have helped him understand and feel better about himself and his repressed desires. About his gender.

Maybe he would have come out a lot earlier, then. But maybe not. It didn't matter. He knew, now, at least a little bit. Even if he couldn't really be who he wanted at school. (Though one or two of the students seemed to have an inkling.) Despite everything, he was happy. Eddie and Andi and the symbiote loved and supported him, and Peter and MJ and Betty, and Harry, and all of them.

When he left the school, after he'd dealt with everything, he found Eddie waiting for him out on the sidewalk with a bouquet of roses and a box of chocolates.

"Hey!" Flash rolled over to him with a grin. "What are you doing? They let you off work early?"

"Something like that." Eddie held out the flowers with the very specific kind of swagger he reserved for romantic gestures, smug but incredibly fond.

Flash took the bouquet—they were pretty (red roses) but not his focus. He set them in his lap and reached up to tug on the end of Eddie's necktie, pulling him down for a kiss. The symbiote couldn't make much of an appearance in public, but it briefly twined itself around Flash's hand as he said, "Someone's fancy today." He let Eddie straighten back up. "I feel under-dressed."

Eddie tucked the box of chocolates under his arm, and together they made to cross the street.

"Don't worry, beautiful, we'll let you change."

Flash laughed. "You better. I'm not gonna go on a romantic date wearing _this_."

"This" being his extra-special Valentine's Day sweater, ugly and chunky and bright red, over a collared shirt and some old, comfortable slacks pinned to the right length.

Not that it was a terrible outfit, or the worst for a date, but... he didn't exactly feel fancy. Certainly not _beautiful_ , as Eddie so casually called him...

As to be expected, Andi was still at work when they got home, the apartment dark and still. Flash headed straight for the bedroom after handing the roses to Eddie (to put in a pitcher of water).

He'd been planning for this date all day, of course. Meticulously laid out his outfit on the bed, set out what little makeup he owned on the lowered counters so he wouldn't forget, all pre-coordinated. He had expectations, and he needed to look nice not just for the sake of looking nice but just in case Eddie planned to follow through on his implication from December—in case he really planned to pop the question.

Clothes first—off with the frumpy school clothes, down to a clean pair of underwear, a quick wipe-down with a wet wipe, then back up in layers—a nude camisole, and an oh-so-slightly sheer black blouse (maybe a little off-season, considering the weather, but he liked it, and Andi had given it to him for his birthday). Tucked into a long black skirt, pleated, which he hiked up so he could put on his stump socks and his legs, carefully adjusting everything to fit comfortably. He stood and smoothed it all out, gaining his balance, and fixed the way his shirt sat.

"Need any help?" Eddie leaned against the doorway, crossing his arms as the symbiote formed a face on his shoulder. They looked at him with twinned grins, a slow once-over.

Flash shot them a glance, and shook his head. "No, just give me a few more minutes and I'll be ready."

Eddie nodded and watched him walk over to the bathroom.

Normally Andi still helped Flash a little with his makeup, but he'd picked up enough of the basics that he could manage well enough on his own now. He washed his face, careful not to drip water down his collar, and wrinkled his nose at himself in the mirror. He just had to keep it simple. Step-by-step, one thing at a time—no eyeliner, nothing like that, just a tiny bit of a gold-pink shimmer on his eyelids. No blush—his skin did that plenty well on its own, thank you very much.

The lipstick, though, was a deep plum on Andi's recommendation, much more daring than usual. Pretty, though... Dark against his skin, perfect for his all-black outfit.

The sound of footsteps drew his attention as he reached up to let his hair loose from its braid.

Eddie reached out and caught a strand between his fingers, playful as he drew close. "You look pretty."

"Hmm..." Flash let Eddie comb out his hair until it framed his face in waves. "You think so?"

The symbiote assisted, tweaking a few strands of hair here and there and covering part of Eddie's face and beard. They grinned at Flash in the mirror, wide and fanged, and purred, " ** _We think you're gorgeous._** "

Ah, and there was that infamous Flash Thompson blush, turning him pink and warming up the back of his neck and across his face and ears.

Change the subject: "Did you find the chocolates I left for you two?"

" ** _We did._** " They weren't quite Venom, but almost, as they leaned down to kiss Flash's jaw and neck, hands firm on his hips. " ** _We liked them very much._** "

Black flesh and long teeth gave way to human skin and a tickly beard, and then it was mostly just Eddie, mouthing at Flash's neck, digging blunt fingers into his hips. Flash could see himself bright red in the mirror, and could see Eddie watching from under his eyelashes. Trying to get him worked up, flustered... It was working.

Flash tilted his head to the side with a sigh, and murmured, "I just changed..."

"Mmm..." Eddie relented, smoothing his hands over Flash's hips. He planted a kiss on his cheek. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, lemme just stop being a tomato real quick." Flash tucked some of his hair behind his ear, leaning back against Eddie slightly.

Eddie laughed.

They grabbed Flash's coat and cane on the way out the door, careful on the thin layer of fresh snow and ice slicking the sidewalk. He probably would have been fine without the cane, especially with Eddie and the symbiote at his side, but better not to risk it in the bad winter weather...

"Should've worn a scarf." Flash hunched his shoulders as they walked, wind poking around under his popped coat collar and up his skirt.

Eddie pulled him closer into his side, arm around his waist, and the symbiote reached out to wrap loosely around Flash as well—it softened and fluffed itself into something resembling knitwear of indeterminate shape and form, attached to Eddie at the shoulder. Flash smiled and nestled his chin into it, already much warmer.

The walk wasn't far, but when they came in from the cold, Flash was flushed and shivering.

It was warm inside, though. A softly-lit Thai restaurant, much nicer than the one where they had first flirted together. Much busier, too, full of couples on their own Valentine's dates. But they got a corner to themselves, at least, to eat and hold hands and make eyes at each other with relative privacy.

Flash's phone buzzed partway through their dinner, and he extricated his hand from Eddie's long enough to check the text from Andi—

_Got tomorrow off. Keepin an eye out for V-day creeps to beat up so I won't be home until way late. Hope date night goes well ;)_

Flash smiled and texted back a quick, _Thx for letting me know <3_

Eddie stood, and for a moment Flash nearly had a heart attack, but he just clasped Flash's shoulder and said, "I'm going to the bathroom."

"Okay." Flash turned back to his food.

Maybe Eddie had forgotten.

Although... the symbiote would never let Eddie forget about something like a proposal.

Maybe Flash had dreamed [that night](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17709980/chapters/41779490).

The rest of their meal went well. Uneventful, but calm and romantic. The symbiote kept reaching out across the table to hold Flash's hand, and so did Eddie, as they ate and talked and smiled at each other.

When they got home, the apartment was still empty, just as Andi promised, and while Flash took off his coat, Eddie disappeared down the hallway. The sound of the pipes running told Flash just where he'd gone, and he smiled to himself as he made his way to the bedroom. Eddie had turned on some quiet, sappy old music as he ran the bath, and he'd rolled his sleeves up to the elbow—must have been a real shirt, for once. The tie was gone already, probably more symbiote than silk.

Flash followed Eddie into the bathroom, reaching for his shirt collar. "You only run the bath when you want me to join you..." He smiled, taking his time with each button.

"How observant of you." Eddie let Flash undress him with a slight smirk.

With the music playing from the bedroom, the symbiote slipped out to join as well—tugging Flash's blouse out from his skirt as he pushed Eddie's shirt off of his shoulders. Eddie leaned in for a kiss, slacks dissolving under Flash's touch. Flash rolled his eyes. Eddie laughed and helped the symbiote strip him down to his underwear much faster than he could have done on his own. Four... six... eight hands were better than two, after all.

The symbiote reached back to turn off the water, and Eddie spun them so Flash could sit on the edge of the tub to take off his legs. Eddie left him to clean the thigh sockets, vanishing into the shadows of the bedroom fully nude. Maybe Flash watched him leave, maybe not.

When Eddie came back, he helped Flash into the bath and settled behind him in the hot water. It wasn't quite spacious enough for the two of them but it wasn't the worst, and Flash appreciated the support as he soaped himself up from stump to shoulder and washed his makeup off (not at the same time). Better than the shower chair. Warmer, too. Felt good on what remained of his legs. And he liked the way the symbiote coiled around him when Eddie insisted on washing his hair even though he'd already washed it that morning.

"Are you doting on me?" Flash tilted his head back at Eddie's nudge, closing his eyes as Eddie poured water through his hair.

Eddie huffed. "It's Valentine's Day." He reached for the conditioner. "Of course I'm doting on you."

Flash hummed as Eddie conditioned his hair, fingers gentle. "What if _I_ wanna dote on _you_?"

"You can scrub me down." Eddie massaged his fingers into Flash's scalp as he said, "Maybe I'll let you do laundry on my abs."

Flash barked out a laugh. "I don't know about _that_ —You're a little too soft to have washboard abs, now, anyway." He twisted around for a kiss.

Eddie smiled against Flash's lips and pulled away just enough to murmur, "And whose fault is that?"  

"Hey, I'm not _complaining_ —" Flash untwisted, leaning back into Eddie, and let his head fall back against his shoulder. "I like the love handles."

"Mm-hm..." Eddie wrapped Flash up in his arms, as the symbiote tightened around his waist. "That's why you're fattening me up."

Flash laughed.

True to his word, once Eddie had rinsed the conditioner from Flash's hair, he let Flash wash him, calm and sleepy in the warm water.

Eventually, as the water turned cold, they had to get out... Eddie helped Flash dry off and rather than reach for his legs, Flash reached for Eddie with his best flirty smile. "Carry me?"

Eddie raised his eyebrows but he lifted Flash into his arms—Flash clung to him, wrapping his arms around Eddie's shoulders and tightening his thighs around Eddie's waist, though he knew neither Eddie nor the symbiote would ever drop him.

...

"Man, I thought we were gonna have sex." Flash propped himself up on his elbows, watching Eddie from where he and the symbiote had deposited him on the bed. Flash flopped down onto his back. "I can get dressed by myself, you know."

Eddie, of course, had already pulled on his dumb sweatpants, though no shirt.

"I know." Eddie climbed onto the mattress, the symbiote carrying Flash's flannel pajamas.

He pushed Flash down into the sheets with a sly look and a soft kiss, enough to get Flash's blood going but nothing more.

Eddie pulled away, leaving Flash with his pajamas as he said, "And as much as I love being naked with you, I still have one more thing I want to do."

"Oh yeah?" Flash tried to keep his pulse in check, pulling on his PJs as Eddie fiddled with something over by the dresser. When Flash sat up, the symbiote had slunk up around Eddie's torso to form a smooth, tight black shirt. Eddie turned the music down, but not off entirely.

Flash scooted toward the edge of the mattress. "What kind of thing?"

He didn't want to get his hopes up, but it was _Valentine's Day_.

"Close your eyes."

Flash closed his eyes, and maybe held his breath a little bit.

Fabric rustled as Eddie came close again. Flash could feel him kneel down beside the bed. He took Flash's hand, and the way Flash's heart beat Eddie probably felt it in his palm.

Right. Oxygen.

Flash breathed in... then back out.

"Flash Thompson."

Jesus. This really was it, wasn't it?

"Open your eyes."

He looked down at Eddie, on bended knee in front of him, one hand hidden out of sight behind his back.

Eddie kissed the back of his hand.

"Eddie... Come on."

He got a smirk, but it softened into a small smile as Eddie gazed up at him, full of fondness. The symbiote oozed up around his neck and face, covering one of his eyes and moving over his hair like lace. But his voice was (mostly) his own when he asked, quietly, finally...

"Will you marry me?"

A pause.

"Sorry... **_Us_**."

Their smile sharpened, teasing.

They were playing with Flash but at this point he could barely bring himself to care. Especially when they went all soft again, watching him expectantly in the half-light of their bedroom.

Flash squeezed Eddie's hand with his own smile, and nodded. He'd planned to say something teasing or witty or _something_ but even though he'd seen this coming he couldn't bring the right words out. He'd wanted this since he was practically still a _baby_ , but never in a million years did he ever think he'd get to experience it. All he could say was, "Yeah—" He reached out with his free hand to place his palm against the side of Eddie's face. "Yeah, of course."

Eddie kissed his hand again, then leaned his forehead against Flash's thigh with a quiet breath, like _he'd_ been the nervous one. But he straightened his back, all confidence as he tugged Flash's hand forward and finally held up the ring he'd been hiding behind his back. "Ruby." He turned it around between his fingers so it caught the light. "And diamond." He smirked. "Our other insisted, otherwise it wouldn't be a proper engagement ring."

"Just put it _on_." Flash's voice cracked, and his face scrunched up—he felt sweaty and overwhelmed. He must have been blushing bright red.

Finally, Eddie slid the engagement ring onto Flash's finger.

Flash took a deep, shaky breath and reclaimed his left hand, with its new and unfamiliar addition, and pressed his hands over his face, trying to gain a semblance of composure. "Fuck—" It didn't work, and tears welled up in his eyes as he swallowed around the lump in his throat. "I'm sorry. I'm happy, I swear." He tried to laugh, but it sounded pretty pathetic.  

" **C'mere...** " Eddie rose up, voice low and thrumming, and the symbiote snuck out and wrapped around Flash as they pulled him down into the sheets, tender and careful. They sent out a spare tendril to pull the blankets up around them, and he buried his face in Eddie's neck, wrapping his arms around broad, black-threaded shoulders.

Eddie and the symbiote just held him and stroked his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tfw one of your childhood dreams is coming true 😭 💍 💖 i am very particular about when i let flash cry in my fics but i feel it's reasonable in this instance.
> 
> the master bathroom is one of those bathrooms that has a bathtub and a separate cubicle shower. there's a chair in the shower, plus handrails of course. he might have waterproof legs he can wear in the shower as well. I'm sure the bathtub has rails as well. (the other bathroom that guests (and andi) use just has a cubicle shower I think.)
> 
> Also, for Eddie, I've been picturing a bit of a strongman kind of body now that he's gained some fat... muscle bear... big ol' biceps and still very muscular but with some chub around the tummy and bit of a muffin top/gut. and aforementioned love handles. Cause Flash loves to cook for his family... so Eddie finally has a reliable source of food... and doesn't obsessively lift weights as much, instead working out a normal human amount with Flash and Andi (though he still lifts weights)... therefore: eddie is soft.
> 
> and ofc my Eddie is always super hairy, so Don't You Forget That. 
> 
> flash is still about the same body type he's always had, very fit and much slimmer in comparison, with well-defined muscles but not like a body builder ofc, more practical. not as shredded as he was in space knight LOL. Has great biceps 💪 and pecs... and ass... Much less hairy but not baby smooth or anything. Doesn't shave his thighs cause of the prosthetics, maaaybe occasionally shaves his armpits and does some landscaping... but that's it. still has a fuzzy tummy and some chest hair. oh, tho he does keep his face cleanshaven most of the time, especially for special occasions like Valentine's Day. 
> 
> Flash's makeup is like... an eyeshadow palette (maybe two) of soft pinks, champagnes and warm golds... probably some golden-brown eyeliner for a few special occasions... I don't think he uses mascara or anything but if he does it's probably brown. then he's got the bubblegum pink lipstick andi got him in [Peachy Coral](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17586755) (or at least, a replacement in the same color), and maybe one or two tubes of lip gloss in a couple different shades of pink (maybe one is a little [shimmery](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2017-01/13/11/asset/buzzfeed-prod-fastlane-03/sub-buzz-24332-1484324349-7.png)).  
> I'm sure he owns a classic red lipstick or gloss that he almost never wears cause despite his goth heart he's probably too self-conscious to wear dark or bold colors very often, except on a couple of holidays or special nights.
> 
> oh also eddie took the whole day off from work to prepare lol
> 
>  
> 
> writing advice things: u don't need to describe outfits all the time  
> me, offended: fuck u i do what i want
> 
> but also clothes are important wrt gender for a lot of people....oh--hold on i think i just had an epiphany--anyway i know you don't have to adopt a different side of the binary (rlly a spectrum) to be trans or genderfluid (etc) ofc... Trans and nonbinary ppl can and should be as feminine or masculine or androgynous (etc) as feels right. 
> 
> but... i guess i just got very drawn to the idea of flash really digging into femininity, especially at home.... sort of as a counterpoint to a life of being VERY hetero-masculine.... but i kno there's also a big problem where trans ppl are expected to perform gender much more thoroughly than cis people (and it's already pretty rigid!)... but then also when you get into your gender feelings, even small things can feel really unpleasant or dysphoric (or on the flip side, euphoric)... idk gender's weird and confusing.  
> this flash is not the same as me in terms of gender and desired presentation (etc) but obviously i am using this fic to project/process my own gender feelings lmfao
> 
> i feel like if i had to choose a specific label for this flash thompson it might be demi-girl? somewhere between that and genderfluid, maybe. But I don't think Flash has a label for it and is just like... just Flash.  
> But I also wanna make clear flash is not "just crossdressing" or "a man in a dress," though I am continuing to use masc-coded pronouns, at least for now. IDK if that will change or not in later chapters. Probably not but there's a chance I guess.


	4. Announcements (Still February)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flash tells people

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is about other people learning about the engagement!  
> Mostly Andi, the Parker-Thompson friend group, and implied Flash's mom  
> Pretty short and pretty positive. Basically filler.

"WHAT?!" Andi grabbed Flash's hand so she could see the ring—it was a simple, slim silver band with a small ruby flanked by two even smaller diamonds that sparkled in the harsh light of the kitchen. "Oh my God?!"

Flash made a face, blushing bright red as he looked away.

"Oh my God!!" Andi practically threw herself at him, as she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Flash laughed, steadying his wheelchair against her weight, and reached up to hug her right back, strong and warm.

She gave him a big squeeze before finally letting him go and straightening up, though her hands lingered on his shoulders.

They beamed at each other.

***

"Mad?" Peter twisted to look at Flash from his place in the kitchen. "Why would I be _mad_?"

Flash shrugged, fidgeting. "I dunno. You hate Eddie." He wouldn't quite look at Peter.

Okay, yeah, he could see why Flash would be... concerned about telling him. But... "You _know_ we've gotten past that, dude." He grabbed their plates, leaving Harry to handle the rest, and came out to join them. "He's a jerk, sure, but—"

MJ shot him a glare. "Tiger."

Peter let out a sigh. He set their plates on the table. "Sorry." He reached out to give Flash's shoulder a squeeze. "I'm not mad, I promise."

"It's not about you, anyway." MJ raised her eyebrows, pulling her plate closer. She turned her attention to Flash. "It doesn't matter what anyone thinks. What matters is that you're happy. You got that?"

Flash grinned at her. "I got it."

"She's right." Harry briefly glanced down at his phone as he sat down, but then he looked up and smiled. "Pete's opinion isn't worth shit."

"Oy!"

They were right, though.

It wasn't about him, or anyone else.

Peter slung an arm around Flash's shoulder and bumped their heads together. "I wanna be your best man."

Flash narrowed his eyes as if deeply considering it. He grinned at Peter. "I'll think about it."

"Psssh, whatever." Peter shoved at him gently, as Harry and MJ laughed.

Eventually Betty and Liz stopped by ("Only for an hour, though") and everyone hugged, and laughed, and congratulated Flash and... man, it must have been years since they were all together like this... If they ever were.

And, yeah, maybe Peter was a little peeved when he first heard, but he couldn't stay annoyed.

Not when he saw how Flash kept touching the ring on his finger, or the distracted way he smiled when he thought no one was looking, during lulls in the conversation.

***

Flash brushed his hair out of its braid, home from school and waiting for Eddie and Andi to get home while dinner simmered on the stove. He liked brushing his hair (or, more often, having it brushed); it calmed him on even the most stressful days. Not that today had been particularly stressful. No more than usual, when it came to convincing teenagers that vegetables were _good_ , actually.

He walked out to the kitchen to check on the food, then to the bedroom to change out of his teaching clothes and wipe down his prostheses. Nothing like a nice pair of pajamas after a long day of walking around. He transferred into his wheelchair from the edge of the bed and rolled back out to the kitchen with his phone in his lap.

A quick detour to turn the burner off, to let dinner sit, then out to the living room. He pulled himself into the recliner and looked at his phone.

He sighed, and dialed.

Waited, nervous, as it rang, twirling his engagement ring with his thumb.

Finally, she picked up.

Flash took a deep breath.

"Hey, ma."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly have no idea if Pete and Harry are on good terms in current canon, or if betty was ever a part of that group, but this is the AU where everyone is happy and I don't give a shit so they're all friends. also cause they're some of the most important people in flash's life so it makes sense to get them all together to tell them about the engagement... Tho Liz might be there more out of obligation.... 
> 
> in my head, I've been thinking that while flash probably hasn't been keeping his relationship with eddie secret from his family, he probably also hasn't actually told his mom about it... but even though they've had a rocky relationship, he loves his mom and obvs they reconciled in Space Knight, so he wants to tell her he's engaged.... no better time to be like, hey mom, I like men!


	5. 3rd Anniversary (May)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie has a small crisis but Flash comforts him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> contains some of the usual sap plus:  
> some bad memories and a little emotional breakdown  
> p brief mention of the bad things that have happened in eddie's past but none actually discussed  
> mention of anne's death/suicide  
>  
> 
> return of my most frequent characterization of eddie: the one who cries
> 
> But don't worry. Most of this fic is fairly light. it just seemed like something that should be briefly addressed...

"Flash, I think themes are for _wedding_ anniversaries..." He turned the leather-bound journal over in his hands. A nice sleek black, slightly matte, with smooth cream-colored paper, finely lined... Expensive, most likely.

"I mean, if you don't like it I can just throw it away."

Eddie leveled an unamused look at Flash.

Though he tried heroically not to smile, Flash broke out into a grin, leaning against Eddie's shoulder with great satisfaction. "You like it?"

"Yes," Eddie rolled his eyes. "I like it."

And the symbiote had liked the chocolates Flash had given them earlier—so much so that it dozed, quiet and soft, nestled into Eddie's body without much of anything to say. Just a diffuse layer of contented happiness.

Flash nuzzled into them with a hum, and the symbiote mirrored his affection, reaching out to wrap around both Flash and Eddie's waists. Eddie sighed, setting the journal aside with a soft expression. He could hardly resist these two—he shifted so he could kiss Flash, and put a hand over the symbiote's, half-melted into his hip.

After a few minutes of slow, lazy kisses, Eddie broke away. Even Flash's most exaggerated pout couldn't keep him from standing, as he said, "I've got something for you, too."

"Ooh," Flash sprawled out on the couch with a lopsided smile. " _Exciting_."

Eddie left him there to grab his gift from his briefcase, near the front door. He'd wrapped it at work, during lunch, meticulous and precise with baby blue wrapping paper. He returned to Flash on the couch, sitting with a grunt and pushing his thighs out of the way—Flash sat up and Eddie hooked an arm around his back to pull him into his lap. The symbiote curled out a few tendrils to hold him as well.

"Lemme guess," Flash gave him a peck on the cheek as he took the gift from Eddie. "It's a book."

Well... it wasn't exactly hard to tell.

"Maybe."

Flash laughed and picked at the edges of the wrapping paper. He got it off in record time, ever impatient, and ran his thumb along the edge of the spine. A German-English bilingual edition of selected poems by Rilke, something strangers or acquaintances might not expect Flash to like but something which, at this point, Eddie knew would be perfect. (Maybe he'd harassed Peter to help him choose, sure, but it was mostly his own idea.)

It wasn't anything fancy... just a paperback he'd gotten from the used bookstore.

But Flash flipped it open almost immediately, scanning a few pages before tilting his head up to press his lips to Eddie's. He set the book down in his lap and wrapped his arms around Eddie's neck. Eddie wrapped him up right back, with the symbiote spreading up his arms, and deepened their kiss.

Low in the back of his head, the symbiote rumbled out a wash of love, and he felt like he might melt.

***

Lying in bed together, with the symbiote pooled around them and wrapped up along their limbs, Eddie slipped into thought.

About their future wedding.

A year away, simultaneously ages and no time at all. Flash shifted in his arms and he pulled him closer with a hum mirrored by the symbiote in his throat.

Flash had already told all his own friends and family, and Eddie had... no one to tell. Dr. Steven, maybe. He could use Flash's laptop to email him, if he hadn't heard from Liz. Maybe Spider-Woman... The symbiote trilled inside of him as he thought of them.

[ **We should invite them...** ]

"What're you thinking about, huh?"

Eddie pressed a kiss to the top of Flash's head and mumbled, "Just thinking."

"Mmkay..." Flash curled closer to him, as if that were really possible, so tightly-pressed to each other as they were under the covers. The only way they could be closer were if they melded like symbiotes.

[ **Eddie...** ]

"Hm?"

[ **We can invite your sister.** ]

Mary.

He sighed and took in the thoughts and memories the symbiote pulled to the surface... Phone directories and library computers. Scouring the obituaries constantly, just in case—then finding her new address, her new number. He'd stood at a payphone in Philadelphia with as much spare change as he could scrounge up before ultimately leaving without calling.

Knowing she was alive and well, in recovery, had always been enough for him.

[ **Not enough.** ]

Or so he'd told himself, time and time again, as he worked through their latest crises.

[ **We're safe now, Eddie. Happy. _She's_ safe.**]

"Yes, love. So we shouldn't bother her." Eddie frowned.

Flash pulled back to look at him with a soft, questioning noise.

[ **Call her, Eddie.** ]

Eddie kissed Flash on the forehead with a quiet "I'll be right back."

"Is everything okay?" Flash rolled onto his back and propped himself up on his elbows as Eddie removed himself from the bed.

The symbiote covered Eddie as he stood, and he said, "Just calling my sister."

For a moment, Flash seemed at a loss. He watched Eddie all the way to the doorway, but then he nodded. "Okay."

Eddie left him in the bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind him.

***

Eddie sat on the couch with the house phone tucked between his ear and shoulder.

"I know, it's been ten years."

Mary spoke quietly on the other end, emotions unclear—"And I've only been awake for half that. Why'd you wait so long, Eddie? I didn't know where—I've been _alone_ for the past five years—" Her voice caught, and she cut herself off. "I couldn't get ahold of _anyone_."

He really was an asshole.

"I'm sorry." He took a deep breath, grateful for his other, curling around his heart. "A lot's happened in the past decade. I never..." He paused. "I never meant to make you worry."

"Well you did."

"I'm sorry." He drew his knees up, folding his free hand around his legs.

She sighed.

He did too. But after a moment of silence, he spoke up again—"I'm engaged."

A different kind of silence.

"What about Anne?"

[ **Eddie...** ]

"Oh. Anne. She—" Eddie closed his eyes, taking the phone in his hand and leaning his forehead against his knees. "She killed herself." He breathed deep. "Not long after you went under."

Mary didn't say anything for a long time.

[ **I'm sorry.** ]

_I know you are, darling. So am I._

Eventually, Mary ventured a quiet, "Eddie..."

"I'm sorry, Mary, this was supposed to be—" He tightened his arm around his legs. "This was supposed to be good news. I didn't realize... I should have realized. I'm sorry." He steadied his breaths.

She was quick to say, "No, tell me about your engagement—tell me the good things. I want to hear good news."

So he told her the good things, about Flash and Andi and maybe not about the symbiote but in his heart he held that, as he told her about how happy he was for the first time in years.

They talked for at least an hour. Once or twice, Flash poked his head out, to grab something to drink, to grab his cellphone, but he mostly stayed in the bedroom, leaving Eddie with some privacy to speak with his sister.

"I'll talk to you later, Mary. I promise."

"You better."

Eddie almost smiled. "Bye."

"Bye." She hung up.

Eddie sat in silence for a few long moments, with the receiver in his hand.

His other moved through him in soothing loops. Took the phone from him, and set it on the cradle.

He took a deep, trembling breath, head bowed against his knees with his arms around his chest, all bundled up in a smooth black embrace.

It came back out as a sob.

"Eddie?" Almost immediate. He heard the bedroom door open, and the sound of Flash's wheels on the floorboards. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine—" Obviously a lie.

Warm hands found him, and Flash joined him on the couch—Eddie wrapped himself around Flash, and the symbiote wrapped around Eddie, and he was shaky and glad for their combined touch as Flash murmured, "Hey, talk to me."

They lay on the couch together, and for the first time, Eddie told him everything.

About Anne, mostly, and Mary, but a little bit about the other things. The cancer and the suicides and the constant onslaught of awful, awful things he'd been through. But he came back to Anne, in the end. The guilt that stewed in his and his other's shared heart. And he said, barely audible, "I'm sorry."

Flash pressed a few small kisses to the top of Eddie's head, reaching up to wipe the tears from his face, though plenty had already soaked into the collar of his shirt. "It's okay, Eddie." He ran his hands through Eddie's short hair. "It's okay."

Eddie held on tight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess... this is like... Mary came out of her coma ~5 years ago which would have been, by the timeline I use, when Eddie was homeless in Philadelphia around 32 or 33-ish years old. He'd been keeping tabs on her the whole time, so at least knew she was alive then, even though he never contacted her. Mary on the flip side is maybe not so good at finding people, and didn't know how to even begin to get back into contact with Eddie when no one answered her calls. She just figured everyone had moved on with their lives, without her, and wasn't about to ask her father, so she just... didn't know what to do. 
> 
> Ah, Eddie, so often the comforter, now becomes the comfortee... Flash probably sort of knew about some of Eddie's past as like... stuff that oozed into his mind from the symbiote, but not a lot, and only stuff from when eddie was actively bonded with it. Eddie... obvs has some issues to work through still but, you know, this is an important step in their relationship. He's learning to be vulnerable!! And that he needs to tell his partner about things like having a sister.
> 
> Flash was gonna be annoyed he didn't tell him but once they actually talked he understood better.
> 
> Flash probably has a therapist (psychotherapist, physical or occupational therapist... etc) but Eddie needs one too... someone who won't be like, "you have no empathy, you're a lost cause" lol....someone help this man through his traumas!


	6. Best Men (July)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andi and Peter argue about who gets to be Flash's best man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some friendly teasing, and some less friendly teasing... little bit of grumpy eddie... peter is a butt

"Why do they call the man the bridegroom? _I'm_ the bridegroom, you're just the groom." Flash tied his apron around his waist, in his wheelchair just outside of the kitchen.

Eddie snorted, but did not deign to answer, too busy putting away the last of the groceries.

"I'm _serious_."

"I know you are." Eddie straightened up, shutting the refrigerator door. "You're the bride and the groom and the bridegroom and the groom's bride, and I'm just the lowly groom." He caught Flash's hand, running his thumb over his engagement ring as he leaned down close. "You shouldn't cook with this on."

Flash laced their fingers together, tilting his head slightly as their noses brushed, and he smiled. "Maybe I want to, _groom_."

Eddie kissed him, and when he pulled away he'd snuck the ring off of Flash's finger—he held it up with a triumphant glint in his eye. "It's dangerous." He slipped the ring into his pocket and gave Flash another kiss, on the forehead this time.

"Whatever." Flash scoffed. He rolled back slightly to let Eddie past, and then wheeled into the kitchen to get dinner started. "Can you check my phone to see if Peter—"

A knock at the front door interrupted him.

"Never mind."

"I'll get it!" Andi materialized from her room, but before she even reached the living room, the symbiote had whipped out a tendril from Eddie's hand to open the front door.

Eddie grinned. "Too slow."

"Ugh." She crossed her arms. "Jerk."

The symbiote withdrew, and Eddie gave her a little bow as Peter and MJ came inside.

"Hey!" Flash leaned out from the kitchen to wave at them. "How's your weekend been?"

MJ laughed, as Eddie greeted her with a kiss to the back of the hand, gentlemanly and playful. She waved him off and said, "Oh, honey, you know how it is—" as she approached. "Suitors falling at my feet left and right. You should see the devastation in their eyes when I tell them I'm taken."

" _Oh_ ," Flash grabbed a few things from one of the lower cupboards, setting them on the countertop one by one. "I can only imagine."

She leaned against the wall, crossing her arms to watch him move about.

He raised an eyebrow at her.

She nodded toward the stove. "Eddie make you do all the cooking?"

He grinned and shook his head. "Nah, I do dinner and he does breakfast." He grabbed a clean pan from the dish rack and set it on the stove. " _Andi_ isn't allowed to cook."

("I only set the toaster on fire _once!_ ")

Flash shook his head. "I _promise_ I like to cook."

MJ laughed, quietly. "Alright." She pushed away from the wall, to give Flash a hug, elegant in her movements as she always was. "Just making sure."

She gave him a pat on the cheek—somehow not condescending, coming from her—and made her way back out to the living room.

"Tiger, go help with dinner."

Peter complied with what seemed to be a great deal of relief.

Flash would have to talk to Eddie about playing a little nicer.

***

Eddie was in the kitchen doing dishes, MJ lounging on the couch with her feet in Peter's lap, Flash in the recliner—and Andi on the floor gesticulating wildly.

" _I_ wanna be the best man!" Good-natured but very intense in her statement.

Eddie and Flash had already established they wanted to keep it simple—their sisters would be their respective maids of honor, Flash's army buddies would be the attendants, and other than that there would be no groomsmen or bridesmaids or bridesmen or groomsmaids...

Peter rolled his eyes. "You're not even a man."

Andi made a dramatically offended face. "I think that's irrelevant at this point." She crossed her arms and glared him down. "Sexist."

"For the love of—" Peter sighed, sliding down slightly on the couch cushions—just as dramatic as Andi. "I'm Flash's _best friend_."

"I'm his goddaughter!"

"You can be the flower girl!"

Andi gasped. "How _dare_ you."

Before Peter could say anything in response, Flash cut in, hands out to placate them both—"Come on, guys, it's okay." He grinned, maybe taking a little too much joy in his next words. "Peter, you can be Eddie's best man—"

"WHAT?!"

"And Andi can be mine."

Peter spluttered. "Wh—How—You—"

"Alriiiiight!" Andi flopped down onto her back, on the floor. "I'm the man of honor!"

Peter facepalmed.

Eddie poked his head out of the kitchen, not angry but not entirely pleased. "Shouldn't I get a choice in the matter?"

"Oh, 'cause you have _so many_ friends—"

" _Peter!_ "

Eddie tensed and disappeared back into the kitchen without a word.

Shit.

Flash pulled himself into his wheelchair.

When he rolled into the kitchen, Eddie still wasn't mad—just standing there, with the symbiote wrapped around him, quiet and closed off. On the one hand, Flash was proud of how much better he'd gotten at managing his emotions—on the other hand... he hated to see him like this.

"Hey, I'm sorry." Flash came closer.

They could hear Peter and MJ in subdued stage-whispers, a furious back and forth—and the quiet rustle of fabric as Andi, probably annoyed, snuck past the kitchen and into her bedroom. Flash caught a glimpse over his shoulder as she shut her door.

He turned back to Eddie with a sigh. "I wasn't thinking. I know you don't get along."

"I'm _trying_." There, a little glimpse of frustration.

"I know you are." Flash linked their hands together. "He is too."

"I could ask Dr. Steven." Eddie ran his thumb over the back of Flash's hand, sinking into that thoughtful frown he always got when he listened to the symbiote in his head. Something in him settled, and calmed, dropping his shoulders and bowing his head. A small smirk played at his lips, then, just a peek of sharp teeth. " ** _Dr. Steven gets stage fright._** "

Flash bit back a smile. "Maybe not him, then, huh?"

"Maybe not."

A small knock interrupted them. Peter in the doorway, looking appropriately sheepish with MJ at his side.

Flash and Eddie looked at him expectantly.

"Uh..." Peter reached up to rub the back of his neck. "Sorry."

"You should be."

Peter rolled his eyes, but he took a breath and said, "I'd like to be your best man, if it's okay with you."

A long pause drifted between the four of them.

Finally, Eddie spoke. "It's not like I have any other friends." But he wore a sharp smirk, when Flash looked up at him—eyes teasing.

Peter laughed. "Alright, okay, I get it. Sorry for being an asshole."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mj may have had some... not great experiences with venom in the past but eddie is trying his best to make up for that. thus the gentlemanly hand-kiss.
> 
> eddie probably started therapy recently
> 
> (dinner is a white sauce/béchamel over fried potatoes, broccoli and onions with crusty bread toasted on the side)


	7. Fit and Measure (October)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie takes Flash's measurements.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more domestic stuff... flash expresses some uncertainties, eddie takes flash's measurements but like way more than he needs to, a little bit of talk about lingerie, some initially non-sexual intimacy which then turns a little more sexual (but nothing explicit.)

Venom was _technically_ retired... The symbiote and Eddie both content in their domestic life... But every once in a while it was nice to swing through the streets of Philadelphia alongside Andi, as backup, with Flash occasionally tagging along as an observer down below.

But today was not one of those days. Today was Flash's 33rd birthday, and a Friday, with the whole weekend ahead of them.

Unfortunately, it was also a late day—a therapy session after work, stopping to get groceries and refill his prescription on the way home...

When he walked through the front door at nearly 8 o'clock, he found Flash asleep on the couch, wrapped up in a throw-blanket with his laptop on the cushion beside him. Eddie shook his head, on his way to the kitchen. When he finished putting away the groceries, he came back out into the living room and closed Flash's laptop, noting the order receipt open on the screen.

[ **Military dress, Eddie.** ]

He hummed a soft, affirmative noise as he set the laptop aside and knelt beside the couch.

[ **Wedding dress?** ]

"Probably." Eddie tucked a strand of hair behind Flash's ear, and Flash stirred.

The symbiote curled out from Eddie's fingers to stroke through his hair as well, and Flash's breath hitched. He made a little noise, and stretched his arms out, and his eyes fluttered open. He smiled a little cross-eyed at them. "Hey there..."

"Good evening."

Flash laughed under his breath. "What are you, Dracula?"

"We could be." Eddie grinned and the symbiote pushed long fangs out into being, briefly shivering out along his skin before sinking back into him. The teeth receded and he said, more seriously, "How was your day?"

Flash's smile faltered just a tiny bit, but he just said, "Fine."

"What's wrong?" Eddie ran his thumb across Flash's cheek.

With a sigh, Flash sat up. He pushed his hair out of his face as he leaned back against the cushions, as Eddie sat down beside him. "It's just..." He pulled the throw blanket up around his shoulders. "I'm confused."

"About what?" Eddie put his arm around Flash's shoulder to pull him into his side.

As Flash leaned into him, he said, "I had all these ideas of getting fitted and measured, and—it's silly, I just... I ordered a white mess uniform—like, black tie, basically—and that feels _right_ but I'm still a little disappointed. But I don't _want_ to wear a gown. A plain skirt is better, but..." He reached for Eddie's hand. "I don't know."

[ **Wants everything to be perfect...** ]

Eddie kissed the top of his head. "You have a lifetime of expectations filling your head." He buried his nose in Flash's hair with a quiet breath. "The perfect white wedding. Trains, and veils, and diamond rings."

"Yeah..."

"Trust me when I say that expectations will _always_ elude you."

Flash turned his head so he could look at Eddie. He smiled. "I still kinda wanna get measured."

"You didn't do it for the uniform?"

Flash shook his head. "I just compared the women's and men's sizes and figured it out that way." His smiled widened, a little goofy, a little crooked. "It seemed like less work."

[ **We can measure Flash.** ]

Eddie kissed Flash's forehead and muttered, "Where's the tape measure?"

"...Closet?"

Eddie huffed out a laugh against his forehead and kissed the spot just above his eyebrow.

***

"I was actually talking to Mary Jane recently..."

"Oh really?" Flash raised his arms slightly so Eddie could wrap the tape measure around his chest.

Eddie hummed and noted down the number on a notepad balanced on the edge of the sink. "She recommended a shop in New York that caters to people who might not fare so well in, say, Victoria's Secret..." His hands were warm on Flash's skin as he moved the tape down around his ribcage, just under where a theoretical bust might lie. "We don't want to pressure you into anything, though."

Flash poked his tongue out—his lips were a little chapped, after his nap earlier. "Pressure me into...what, exactly?"

"Well." Eddie continued to measure and mark down to his waist. "We don't know how you feel about your underwear."

"You want me to get lingerie?" Flash adjusted his balance, watching in the mirror as Eddie wrote another number down—truly thorough as he worked. Precise and slow.

"We want to get you lingerie as a _gift_." Eddie looped the tape measure around his hipbones. "There's a difference."

"Oh, am I not sexy enough for you?" Flash teased.

Eddie frowned, and met Flash's eyes, reflected in the mirror. "Of course you are—"

"I'm joking." Flash turned his head and puckered his lips—Eddie kissed him dutifully before measuring the widest part of his hip, around his butt, as Flash continued, "We all know I'm _very_ sexy."

Eddie snorted. He wrote down yet another number, which Flash thought would be the last—but then he pulled the tape measure out to measure from Flash's shoulder to his groin, too, and honestly it all seemed a little excessive.

"Jeez, are you getting me a bodysuit?"

"If you want." Eddie rolled the tape up. "Get in bed and take off your legs. We want to measure your thighs."

Flash crossed his arms, jutting his chin out and raising his eyebrows. "Excuse you?"

" _Please_."

"Thank you." Flash took Eddie's hand and let himself be led back into the bedroom. Eddie and the symbiote both helped him down, not because he needed the help—he'd be the first to protest at that—but because they always did this on special nights. Tender and intimate, as they laid him on his back and removed his prosthetic legs for him.

It was still a little weird to let another person do that, even after years together, but Eddie and the symbiote moved together in such a specific way that the sensation of strangeness quickly subsided.

It was just nice to feel their hands on his skin.

And it was nice to be doted on sometimes.

"What are you measuring my legs for anyway?"

"It's a surprise." Eddie leaned down and kissed his hip. "You'll need your measurements for the garter, anyway, won't you? Assuming you want wedding garters."

"No—I mean, yes, I want garters." Flash folded his arms behind his head and looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully, as Eddie continued to drop kisses along his hip bone and the skin just over the line of his waistband. He could feel the symbiote snaking a tendril along after him. "But I wanna use my legs. They need to fit around the socket."

Eddie laughed, and his beard and breath tickled against Flash's skin. "Fair enough." He kept kissing, but paused to ask, "Should we measure your prostheses?"

"Later." Flash closed his eyes, relaxing further into the sheets under Eddie's attentions. "Right now, I'm _much_ more interested in what you plan on doing with that mouth of yours."

"We have some ideas..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> honestly flash probably already has reasonably accurate and thorough measurements of his residual limbs but this is more intimate than being like, "hey can you ask your prosthetist to pass those numbers along to me?" eddie's a romantic.
> 
>  
> 
> you know when i first started this i said to myself, "oh i'm not gonna write a shitload of chapters encompassing roughly a year" and yet i did that anyway  
> it's not EVERY month but still...  
> also Flash is 33 now, as of this chapter, and Eddie is 38 still.


	8. Luxury (November)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie and Flash look at expensive underthings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eddie and Flash go to a lingerie boutique, talk about tastes, and do not buy lingerie.
> 
> My explanation? Canon is mutable and canon is _mine._  
>  Also I just like lingerie.
> 
> I hope Don can feel, deep in his soul, that I've taken his OOC sadboy Eddie's sexy beard and buzzcut look and used it for my extremely queer purposes. Feel my gay nonbinary energies.

Flash stuck to Eddie's side like a burr as they entered the shop—the symbiote was hidden inside of Eddie for the most part, but his leather jacket put off a certain smoothness that was all too familiar, under Flash's cold fingers. He looked around, noting the mica-flecked white tiles, and the white walls; the racks and shelves of various bras and bustiers and mannequins in panties and girdles and so on. Shapewear, pantyhose, as well as less sexy things like velvet bunny slippers and silk scarves.

He counted no less than four distinct pride flags on the wall behind the cash register.

"Welcome! How can I help you?" A woman in a simple white sweater smiled at them as they entered, clearly an employee based on her nametag—Candy.

Eddie looked at Flash, leaving it up to him.

"Hi!" Flash smiled right back at Candy, masking any nervousness he might have felt with his usual friendly confidence. "I just wanted to look around for a little bit, if that's okay."

"Of course—" Candy gestured toward the changing room in the back as she asked, "Will you be trying anything on, or just browsing?"

Flash thought for a moment. "Just browsing, I think."

"Okay! Just let me know if you need any assistance." Candy nodded, with another customer-service smile, and turned her attention to Eddie. "And how about you?"

Eddie pulled away from Flash slightly, encouraging him to detach from his arm as he said, "Actually, I spoke to a woman named Candace on the phone yesterday about..." He glanced at Flash. "...something special, and she told me to ask for her if I came in."

Huh. Candy and Candace.

"Of course! Candace is in the back but I can get her for you if you hang tight for just a second—" Candy hurried off.

Flash raised his eyebrows.

Eddie made a face, running a hand over the back of his head.

"You know," Flash made his way over to a small display of hair accessories on the checkout counter. "If you wanna _surprise_ me, you're gonna have to try harder than that." He shot a grin over his shoulder, and then turned his attention to a pack of stretchy sports headbands in bright colors.

Behind him, Eddie let out a sigh of resignation. "I know."

A moment later, Candy reappeared with a woman just behind her—Candace, presumably, with bangles on her arms and long box braids hanging past her waist.

Flash left Eddie to his super secret discussion with Candace to wander along the back wall, leaning slightly on his cane. Walking on icy sidewalks messed with his gait, and his hips hurt just from the trip from the bus stop to the shop. At least it was nice and warm inside, fingers finally thawing as he picked through a carefully stacked row of satin panties.

They seemed so... skimpy.

...Though his briefs didn't exactly leave a lot to the imagination, either.

The store was mostly empty, as he continued to look around—due to the cold, probably. Only one other person milled about.

A little spotlit section of vintage-styled underthings caught Flash's eye, and he drifted over to that. A lot of silk and satin and lace... He passed over the bras and nearby breast forms, not particularly interested in that. What drew him were the girdles and garter belts. Though he didn't know how well that would work, all things considered. But the high waists and smooth shapes appealed to him. Betty had owned a ladybug-patterned girdle, though she almost never wore it—Flash had always liked the way it looked on her, though.

Maybe he'd like the way one might look on him, too.

But, again, all things considered—if he wore hose of any kind, he'd probably have to knot them or tie them off so they wouldn't just get pulled up by a belt, and that didn't strike him as very sexy.

The underwear to go with them, though. Some high-waisted, some lower-waisted, some narrow. A couple of thongs—he'd pass on those. Some a little more akin to boy-shorts or boxer briefs, with an old-fashioned approach to material and color. He inspected the lace paneling on one pair, turning it over in his free hand. The price tag got caught on his finger and he looked at that—

$32? For a single pair? Maybe not.

"Come here often?"

Flash glanced up with a start—"Don't scare me like that!"

Eddie smiled, putting a hand up against the small of Flash's back as he gave a look at what Flash had been admiring. He had a small bag in his other hand, packed with red tissue paper.

Before Flash could ask him about it, he leaned in and asked, "You like these?"

"Maybe." Flash reached up to a higher rack to tug at a dangling garter strap. "I don't think they're for me, though."

"Don't count yourself out, yet." Eddie snagged the price tag from the particular garter belt in question and immediately pulled a face. "On second thought..."

Flash laughed. "You're an _asshole_."

Eddie pulled him close with a smirk. "I'm _your_ asshole."

"Uh-huh." Flash rolled his eyes, but leaned into him.

They looked around a little longer, arm-in-arm, pointing out pieces here and there to each other.

Eddie seemed to have a thing for black satin, which... did not come as much of a surprise. Flash, despite his penchant for over-the-top heavy metal aesthetics, found himself drawn the most to pretty blues and teals.

"Hey Mr. Commando, you should get that." Flash nodded, not entirely seriously, toward a microfiber jockstrap, tropical floral-print. The label proclaimed it sexy and "gentle on your junk."

Without a moment's hesitation, Eddie grabbed one in his size.

They left the store with Eddie's top secret bag, and another, less secret bag with his new jockstrap and a package of those multicolored stretchy headbands Flash had been looking at earlier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just really like lingerie so I figured I'd include it. especially since it seems to be a significant part of wedding stuff.... at least, the honeymoon.
> 
> probably this isn't an lgbt-specific lingerie store but it is lgbtq-friendly to the extent that it might as well be, and while it mostly focuses on femme stuff (whether for trans or cis women, drag queens, dudes who like feeling pretty etc.), in my imagination it carries a small amount of more masc underwear like nice boxer briefs, binders, packers, etc... both for cis dudes and trans dudes. (also probably like half the employees are queer...)  
> And it's not JUST lingerie for sexiness, it also has normal underwear that's just higher-quality material and make than what you can get in a six-pack at Target. 
> 
> Speaking of practical underwear: the jockstrap is the kind with the little straps that shows your Entire Ass, and the pattern I picture is like this: [link](https://www.barenecessities.com/maidenform-microfiber-boyshort-40760_product.htm?pf_id=Maidenform40760&amsk=riejwn8874)


	9. Holidays (December, again)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie and Flash go to visit Flash's mom for Christmas after a multi-faith morning at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holiday stuff... Flash is very mother-y.... Flash gets a little nervous about going to see mom and sis but it all turns out fine....  
> Eddie and Jesse bond over not being particularly well-rounded cooks.  
> Eddie gives Flash the present from the previous chapter.

"On the third day of Hanukkaaaah..." Andi held her arms out, and Mania reached out to mirror her—

"Spider-Man got for me—"

"Hey." Eddie set the last of the latkes to drain with a glower. "It's the holidays. No Spider-Man."

Flash and Andi both laughed.

They knew he wasn't _really_ mad. Venom and Spider-Man would probably never truly get along but Eddie didn't hate him nearly so much as he used to, and the symbiote... well the symbiote had gotten over its bitter breakup a long time ago.

They spent their morning together, eating potato pancakes and homemade applesauce (Eddie's handiwork), opening presents, and listening to an eclectic mix of holiday music.

 _No_ Spider-Man.

Just before lunch, Flash packed up a sandwich and some sugar cookies for Andi to take with her to her aunt's house (though she insisted she'd be fine). She kissed him on the cheek before she left, with a big hug—and then she was off, out the door with her suitcase pulled by Mania's hand.

Flash left Eddie to do the cleaning up, so he could get ready.

His mom had taken it well, when Flash told her about the engagement, and about Eddie. But other than their fairly regular phone calls, Flash hadn't actually spoken to her in a while—not face-to-face, at least. Maybe a few months ago, after school, in his teaching clothes. And he hadn't seen Jesse in a while, either. Probably not since last Christmas, when he most certainly was not engaged, had not taken Eddie with him, and had not worn anything more feminine than a barrette. He pulled his pajama shirt off, leaving just his flannel shorts on over his legs, and considered his dresser.

Casual? Formal?

There were the slacks, and there were the skirts. Definitely not the cargo shorts.

Button-downs, and blouses... or a t-shirt?

Sweater vests, cardigans, sweatshirts.

Oxfords... sneakers. Okay, that decision had already been made for him, at least. He didn't need snow or slush seeping in through his shoes, even with mostly-waterproof prosthetics.

Split the difference.

He pulled on a novelty t-shirt emblazoned with a picture of the Jersey devil, and over that a dark green turtleneck sweater patterned with little reindeers, snowflakes and trees—there was even a Santa  on one of the rows, and a sleigh. He pushed his suddenly-staticky hair out of his face so he could pull it into a simple ponytail, and grabbed a suitably festive and very glittery silver headband to keep any flyaway hairs out of his eyes.

He looked at his reflection in the full-length mirror they'd mounted on the back of the bedroom door.

Truly the height of fashion, combined with his garishly patterned pajama shorts and carbon fiber legs.

The door opened as Eddie slipped in, and he spared an amused glance at Flash's getup before taking his mandatory living room-sweatpants off and tossing them at the laundry hamper.

"Eddie, are you really gonna wear the _jockstrap_ to Christmas dinner?"

Eddie grinned over his shoulder, joined by an equally cheeky symbiote snaked around his neck like a scarf. "I could go without, if you'd like." He slapped his own ass, smug as ever.

Flash rolled his eyes, pointedly ignoring Eddie's little display. "On second thought, keep it on." He gave the symbiote a kiss on his way past. "Help me pick an outfit."

"Seems to me like you've already got one." Eddie crossed his arms, as the symbiote spread over his skin to take the shape of a Venom-themed sweater and some very flattering slacks.

 _No fair_.

"Very funny." Flash pulled a pair of thermal biking shorts from his underwear drawer (they used to be pants until he took a pair of scissors to them) and exchanged those for his PJ shorts—used Eddie to balance as he maneuvered the stretchy cloth on over his prosthetic legs.

He straightened up and planted his hands on his hips, frowning just a bit.

"What are you having trouble with?" Eddie moved around behind him, setting his hands on his waist, chest-to-back. The symbiote twined between his fingers, dissolving the black band on his ring finger as it formed its own hands. "Color? Style?"

Flash shrugged.

"Nervous?"

He sighed and put his hands over Eddie's and the symbiote's.

They embraced Flash, wrapping their arms firmly around his waist. Eddie pressed a kiss to his cheek and muttered, "You think they're gonna be a problem?"

Flash leaned back into Eddie with a huff. "Not really, but I'm still nervous."

"They love you."

"I know."

They stood together like that for a few minutes, looking at the open drawers of the dresser, until a tendril with a hand at the end reached for Flash's favorite skirt—the khaki utility kilt.

It had pockets, after all.

***

Flash's sister opened the door and he immediately pulled her in for a hug, rushing to say, "Hey, it's been a while!" He gestured to Eddie. "Have you met my fiancé? How are you? How's mom? The decorations look great! We brought sweet potato pie—"

"Flash." Jesse pushed him away gently, and planted her free hand on her hip. "Slow down."

He shut up.

"It's nice to meet you. My name is Jesse." Jesse put out her hand with a smile, and Eddie took his free, non-pie-holding hand from Flash's back to shake.

"Eddie Brock." He smiled, too.

"Well, come on in, you two!"

Three, but she didn't need to know that.

Eddie held Flash's cane while he took off his new coat—long and black and a little bit goth. Eddie, of course, didn't need to take off his own jacket. It just melted away into his sweater. Flash took his cane back, and took Eddie's arm.

Jesse's apartment wasn't very big, but considering dinner was just her and their mom, and Flash and Eddie (and the symbiote), that seemed fine. It was neat and clean, the floor in particular clear of anything that could prove a tripping hazard, and multicolored lights lined the tops of the walls. Pictures of her and her late husband stood here and there, and a Christmas tree lit up the corner. Flash let Eddie go with Jesse to put away the pie, and stopped near the couch.

His mother looked up from her fiddling with a metal nutcracker, a bowl of shelled nuts sitting on the walker in front of her, and a bowl of shells on the side table.

"Oh—"

Flash gave her an uncertain smile. "Hi, ma."

For a moment, she looked at him, but then she smiled and said, "Hi, baby. You look lovely."

He moved, finally, sitting on the couch with a sigh. "Thanks." He gave her a quick hug, careful not to jostle the bag of mixed nuts from her lap, and stuck his cane between his knees, hands clasped over the grip. "How have you been doing?"

She returned to cracking shells as she told him about the latest drama in the old folks home—Martha had called Elsie a _bitch_ , apparently, and nearly started a fistfight in the TV room. Flash listened to her with a smile, with one eye out to make sure Eddie played nice—but he and Jesse seemed to be getting along fine.

***

"What is this? Plain apple cider?" Eddie held up the jug as if it had personally offended him. "Were you going to serve this cold?"

Jesse tilted her head, in much the same way Flash so often did, and said, "Yeah... Is that a problem?"

He shook his head and set it to the side. "Where are your spices?"

A few minutes later and he had a saucepan heating up on the stove, full of cider and cinnamon and nutmeg, cloves and anise, scraps of orange peel. Much to Jesse's bemusement. She didn't seem to mind, luckily, and eventually ventured, "You know, my husband used to do all the cooking."

"Did he?" Eddie poked at a floating orange peel with a fork, but turned to face her, crossing his arms as he leaned against the counter. The symbiote slid a calming tendril around his waist, hidden beneath his thick sweater. He smiled at Jesse, a little melancholy, perhaps. "My first wife never much liked cooking either. Unfortunately, I only know how to make drinks and desserts." He laughed.

Jesse laughed too, fiddling with an as-yet unopened can of cranberry sauce. "I can barely make coffee, so I empathize." She sighed. "So..." She glanced up at him, serious but not somber. "When you say 'first wife,' have you just had a lot of wives? Or is Flash... your second wife?" She seemed curious, dancing around some deeper question.

[ **Eddie...** ]

Eddie wafted some of the steam from the mulling cider over. "She was the only other one."

[ **Only other... What about _me_ , Eddie? _Us_.**]

A grin overtook Eddie's face and he sent an apologetic swell of affection to his other.

"...Alright." Jesse grabbed the can opener and started in on the cranberry sauce.

Eddie finished up the mulled cider and poured it into mugs for everyone while Jesse worked on her sauce, cursing under her breath. He brought two out into the living room, setting one on the side table and pressing one into Flash's hands. He leaned close and whispered, "I think your sister could use some help."

"Oh, Jesus—" Flash immediately pushed the mug right back into Eddie's hands and hauled himself to his feet. "Don't tell me she caught a dish towel on fire again—"

Eddie shook his head, but took a sip of the cider anyway. Delightful, if he said so himself.

His other purred in agreement.

***

"You finally gonna give me that super secret thing you got?" Flash leaned back against the pillows, wearing a seahorse-print flannel nightshirt he'd found at a thriftstore a few weeks back.

Eddie adjusted his jockstrap as he climbed into bed, otherwise completely naked despite the cold winter nights. "What makes you think I got it for you?"

Flash raised his eyebrows.

With a sigh, Eddie conceded. "Okay, it's for you."

He leaned over the edge of the mattress, practically mooning Flash as he rummaged around for something.

Of course he'd hidden it under the bed. Of course.

He retrieved the little tissue paper-filled bag with a triumphant grin, and tossed it at Flash.

"Whoa—" Flash caught it, barely. But Eddie climbed under the covers with him and gave him an expectant look, the symbiote snaking out to level an additional pair of puppy-dog eyes on Flash—He rolled his eyes and pulled the tissue paper out, balling it up as he went. He tossed it in the small trash can they kept beside the bed and peeked into the bag, sitting up slightly straighter.

Of course it was wrapped, too.

"You're a menace."

But Flash unwrapped it, about as carefully as he ever did (not very), eager to see.

He tilted his head, a loose strand of hair falling across his face.

"Are these tights?"

Eddie reached out to tug on the stretchy, semi-sheer fabric. "They're stockings." He turned his head, pressing a kiss to Flash's arm (the closest spot he could reach without getting up). "Specially made just for you."

Flash unrolled them, and sure enough there were two separate pieces. Simple black, almost like sheer socks. He stuck his hand into one of them to see how the fabric stretched. He frowned slightly, not unhappily but... "Wouldn't it be kind of weird to wear these without shaving?"

With a hum from both he and the symbiote, Eddie nestled against him. "Who cares?"

He had a point.

Flash sat up completely and pushed the covers away—a little reluctant to separate from Eddie's warmth, but too curious not to try his present on. He tugged his nightgown up out of the way, glad it at least had long sleeves even if his lower extremities were now exposed to the cold air. He pulled the stockings on individually. Despite being superficially similar to the socks or liners he wore with his prosthetic legs, they were entirely unfamiliar... Soft and sheer, though opaque enough to still be obviously black. They stayed up on their own, fairly high up his thigh, and most importantly they weren't too tight, too loose, or too long. No dangling ends, nothing to be pinned or tied. Just... stockings, with plain black bands on the tops and seams up the backs.

He ran his hands over them, just to feel.

Obviously, he wouldn't wear them with his legs on, but for the wheelchair (or in the bedroom) when he wanted a little extra coverage without resorting to bike shorts or cut-up leggings or ugly socks...

If he wanted to feel sexy...

Flash practically fell on top of Eddie, just to hug him as tight as he could and bury his face in his neck. "Thank you—" He took a deep breath—Eddie smelled like nutmeg. "I feel bad for telling you to get that fucking jockstrap, now."

With a laugh, arms around his waist joined by the symbiote, Eddie murmured, "No, we like it." He raised one of his hands to tangle his fingers in Flash's hair. "It's not as comfortable as anything my other could make, of course, but we wouldn't wear it if we didn't like it."

Flash sighed against his neck. "Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Realized I keep skipping Halloween... truly a travesty..... who am i, even...
> 
> going along with other people's headcanons that Andi is Jewish. It just so happens that Hanukkah overlaps with Christmas in 2019, so, there's that.
> 
> theoretically Lea Thompson and Howard Deutch (I s2g....) are Flash's aunt and uncle-in-law but, I'm just.... gonna pretend they don’t exist cause they're based on real people and also from howard the goddamn duck and I don't wanna bother. anyway they'd be on harrison's side so I can see lea having cut herself off from her brother's side of the family. though I'm sure they've met once or twice.
> 
> flash's coat, in my head, is a little like this ([link](https://66.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lh8pc77iJE1qgaz2ao1_500.jpg)) but probably with a slightly different collar... probably normal lapels.
> 
> also my perception of time is skewed. I am writing this Christmas-y chapter on the day before valentine's day, but due to climate change it's... snowy out, so for a second I forgot what month it was. (and obvs i've posted it on february 20th)
> 
> eddie and flash's mom introduce each other after flash goes to ~~make Christmas dinner~~ I mean help jesse make Christmas dinner, but it felt too clunky to include so I just cut off there. I don't want to focus _too_ too much on things like coming out in this fic either, so I didn’t include jesse asking flash about like, gender, but it's still, like, relevant. 
> 
> okay so... obviously things like tights, stocking, pantyhose etc. aren't really measured in terms of circumference—since they're so stretchy, it's more about length. but anyway I figure it's totally possible to make customized hosiery for amputated limbs... As long as it's the right length and any parts like waistbands or thigh bands or whatever are the right size, I'm sure any hosiery.....ist could make some that fit well. Eddie probably didn't know exactly what measurements he'd need so he just... took all of them... lol


	10. Maiden name (January, again)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Surnames can be a challenge but that's okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eddie and Flash (and then Eddie and the symbiote, later) talk about their future surnames, some gooey love, and a bit of step-godfather/goddaughter bonding.

"I don't see why you would want my name." Eddie leaned back in the recliner, tapping his pen against his mouth as he looked at his notebook. "It came from my father, after all."

"It's _yours_ , though." Flash finished folding a freshly-washed t-shirt and handed it off to Andi to be put into the hamper. "I want it 'cause it's _yours_. 'Cause I love you."

Andi rolled her eyes beside him.

A pair of black arms stretched from behind Eddie's back to help them with the laundry.

Eddie capped his pen. He watched them all for a few seconds, before muttering, "You're reinforcing outdated gender roles."

Both Flash and Andi laughed, at that, though Eddie crossed his arms—clearly at least somewhat serious.

"Listen," Flash smiled fondly at him. "I'm not asking to be 'Flash Brock.' That sounds like a basketball player or something." He balled up a pair of socks, clearly not his own. "I just think 'Thompson-Brock' has a nice sound." He paused, with the socks still on his hand. "And you have a reputation to uphold."

"You know I write under 'Edward Sym.'" 

Flash pouted.

Eddie sighed. "I'll think about it."

After a moment, he added, "I love you too."

Then, " _We_ love you."

Flash smiled at Eddie, ignoring Andi's exasperated groan of faux-disgust.

***

 _Edward Brock-Thompson_.

Eddie chewed on his pen absentmindedly, his other twisting around his wrist and forming fingers to join their hands.

[ **Sounds nice, Eddie...** ]

"But what about Edward Thompson?"

[ **Eddie Thompson.** ]

He wrinkled his nose. There was just something off about it. Maybe Flash was right, and it was better to share their names. He came back to the first one, to the hyphen.

_Eddie Brock-Thompson._

_Eddie Thompson-Brock?_

[ **Second one...** ]

Eddie scribbled through his other options, and wrote that out in neat, round letters. He laughed to himself, suddenly struck by the absurdity of his full name, with this new potential addition.

 _Edward Charles Allan Thompson-Brock_.

What a mouthful.

Meanwhile Flash had pared his name down, legally, until he didn't even have a middle initial—the two of them really were complete opposites.

[ **Opposites attract.** ] His other took the pen from his hand, and then the leather-bound journal as well, and set them aside. Another pair of black hands formed to cup his face, and a face of its own wound out into being in front of him—

He kissed it, softly.

[ **Love you, Eddie.** ]

"I love you too."

***

Mania stood on the edge of the rooftop, looking down at the buildings below.

" **How's it feel being 39?** " A grin briefly split their normally-mouthless face, then smoothed away, though their eyes squinted with amusement. " **You're almost old.** "

Venom let out a rumbling laugh, a little warped, a little rolling. They, too, looked out over the streets below, a careful eye out for danger. But they looked at the sky, too. At the clouds. Thought about Eddie's gradual aging... but inside of Venom it wasn't so clear. Inside of Venom he didn't age. They formed a kind of stasis together, keeping each other younger than they would be otherwise—though the symbiote on its own was, arguably, functionally immortal, so long as it didn't die.

" **We feel... that it's a shame you're 23 now, instead of a sweet little baby.** " Venom receded to reveal Eddie's face. "Imagine the other parents' faces, if you were ten years younger. 'Oh Janice,' they'd say. 'Did you see Andi's distinguished, handsome step-father? He picks her up from school every day.'"

Mania cackled. " **You wish.** "

Venom re-encased Eddie's head, and together they all swung out into the air, camouflaging on the off-chance someone spotted them.

It was nice, to go out like this. To back up Mania on patrol, to be a protector once again just for a night.

But it was also nice to be retired, to spend their nights at home with Flash. To not have to worry so much anymore, about who wanted them dead or in jail, who would try to kidnap them or torture them or experiment on them—to just be able to exist, and be happy...

They followed Mania through the streets of Philadelphia, able to track her easily from the connection between clone and progenitor.

Those two—Andi and her other—they did good work together.

Seeing them do their thing filled Eddie and the symbiote with pride.

Mania took their job seriously. Worked efficiently, but at the same time, never too brusquely. They treated their responsibilities with a dry humor and quick wit, but never filled dead time with banter in the same way Spider-Man or Venom themselves did. They also seemed to harbor a deep understanding and empathy that Eddie had always struggled with—

Not just for the innocents—but for the people they stopped.

Mania crouched beside a man they had apprehended. He cowered, dropping his knife.

They took the knife, of course, but also said, " **We're not gonna take you to the cops.** "

"W-we?"

Mania grinned, much like on the roof, letting their tongue fall out of their newly formed mouth.

The man whimpered.

Mania pulled a sharpie from their waist—stored somewhere in the polymer of their body—and held out a hand. " **Give us your arm, dude.** "

He complied.

They wrote a phone number on the underside of his arm. " **Life's hard. I get it.** " Mania stood, pocketing the sharpie. " **Call that number. They can help you out. Promise.** "

"You're not gonna eat me?"

Mania laughed. " **Never. But don't go around telling people we're soft.** " They pointed a clawed finger at him, and when he nodded, lowered their hand. Their mouth disappeared, tongue and teeth pulling back into their face " **We've got a reputation to uphold.** "

"W... who are you?"

With an offended face, eyespots white, Mania proclaimed, " **How dare you!** " They crossed their arms, and grinned again, a little less toothy. " **We. Are. _Mania_.**" Emphasis on each word separately.

In the shadows, Venom chuckled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided that eddie's b-day is in January. idk why. whim. so now he's 39. flash is still 33 obvs. 
> 
> also I've decided andi and eddie have the same birthday, because it makes me laugh, so they're patrolling together as a little bday bonding. so she's just turned 23.
> 
> also we got a little bit of specifically symbrock love in here~~
> 
> There are a few more chapters, probably for a total of like..... 15..... i'm on a bit of a writer's block on 13 rn though...


	11. Spar (Still January, again)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Training practice!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some bickering, but they love each other.

"Is that all you got?!" Andi clung to Eddie's back with her arms around his neck and legs around his waist, though she didn't squeeze. "All those big muscles can’t help you now!"

Eddie laughed and put his hands up in surrender. "Okay, I give up—" He reached back to mess up her hair. "You win."

As Andi released her hold on him, sliding to the ground, he let out a sigh. "I still don't see why this is necessary." He crossed his arms, and a bit of the symbiote slipped out to wrap him up in a checkered scarf. Very ska. "It's not like I haven't managed fine the past ten years."

Andi laughed as she sauntered toward the bench to take a seat.

"Listen—" Flash set his cane off to the side and rolled his shoulders. He was in his blades. "You need to be able to defend yourself—"

"In case anything happens, yeah, you keep saying that." Eddie stared Flash down. "Like I said, it's never been a problem."

Flash put his fists up. "Prove it."

Eddie rolled his eyes.

"If you didn't have a symbiote, Andi could have choked you out then and there." Flash shifted his stance, tilted his head—a little nod. A come-and-get-me motion.

With a swing, barely dodged by Flash, Eddie grunted "But she didn't."

He re-gathered himself.

"Because you're my step-godfather." Andi kicked a leg up and laid down on the bench to watch them duke it out. "What if you _weren't_? What if I was—Who's evil? Electro? Whatever, it doesn't matter—what if I was _evil_?"

"Then I'd be _fine_ , because I have my other." Eddie tried to hit Flash again, and missed again. He probably would have hit his mark with the symbiote's help but that was firmly disallowed in this training session. He swung again—

Flash caught Eddie's arm and in a brief scuffle, in a series of blink-quick movements, spun and flipped Eddie over his shoulder—

Eddie glowered up at him from the floor.

"What if you _didn't?_ " Flash glared right back down at him.

With a sigh, Eddie sat up. He rested his forehead in his hands a moment, and his scarf reached out a gentle tendril as they presumably conversed in his head. He gave the "scarf" a stroke before hauling himself up to his feet and turning to face Flash. He still looked sour and he half-shrugged. Grumbled,  "It won't happen."

Andi sat up on the bench with a frown—

"Why are you being such a jackass about this?!" Flash put his hands on Eddie's shoulders and dug his fingers in, leaning on him—not exactly trying to knock him back down, but trying to unbalance him again at least. Eddie held against him, and Flash gritted out, "You _stupid_ —"

"Hey!" Andi glared at them.

Flash lowered his head, and Eddie looked away sheepishly.

"Stop fucking _fighting_." She stood and gave them a particularly derisive look before turning to leave. "We're going home."

Flash let out a controlled breath and let his arms slacken, slowly coming in to rest his chin on Eddie's shoulder, palms flat on his chest. The symbiote poked out a few tiny strands from Eddie's scarf to caress his face. He closed his eyes.

A few strained seconds passed but finally, Eddie raised his arms up around Flash and hugged him.

"I'm sorry, Eddie." Flash turned his face against Eddie's neck. "I'm just... over-protective."

Eddie squeezed him. "No, you're right." He let go, and pulled back a little so he could look Flash in the face. "I'm being a jackass."

Flash let out a soft laugh.

Another few moments passed.

"You know when Andi got onto your back, you should have used your size to your advantage." Flash gave Eddie a firm pat on the chest. "Next time someone gets on your back like that, fall on top of them."

Rather than answer that, Eddie reached up... and tugged Flash's stretchy headband down so it fell around his neck.

"Hey!" But Flash grinned, as he pulled it back on. "Asshole."

Eddie smiled at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short one, here...
> 
> they're doing this—they're basically teaching eddie REAL self-defense (or trying to) so that if something happens, if something in their domestic life goes horribly wrong, if he's in danger and separated from the symbiote, there's less of a chance that he'll die. nothing's going to happen, because I don't want to write that, but they don't know that. he obviously knows some fighting skills but flash is way more trained.
> 
>  
> 
> also the last bit where flash is like, fall on them--100% chance eddie knows that but even in a training setting, and even tho andi has mania, he'd never do that with her lol


	12. Last-minute (February, again)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andi and Flash look at veils.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A brief Valentine's Day at home, and then later Andi reminds Flash that veils exist.

Dark chocolate for Flash, and a big assorted heart for Eddie and the symbiote.

Maybe it was consumerism, but neither particularly cared as they sat together on the couch eating chocolate and watching _The Matrix_. (Truly the ideal Valentine's choice, absolutely.) The symbiote had formed a kind of fastening between them, attached to both of their arms and shoulders though it could only truly bond to Eddie. It topped that all off with a head, too, leaning its cheek against Flash's shoulder, eyes narrowed in contentedness.

Andi was out on a date with a girl she'd met recently, so they had the apartment to themselves for the evening—but just sitting, relaxing, seemed good enough. No pressure to do anything else, too exhausted from the final steps of wedding planning to bother.

Flash turned his head to give the symbiote a little kiss, as it purred between them.

By the time they finished the movie, the symbiote had eaten all of both of their chocolates, and now lay calm and sated, spread across their laps like a blanket with a face. Flash scratched somewhere around where he thought an ear might have been if the face were on a body... maybe. The symbiote squinted its eyes closed happily, so he kept at it.

Eddie mumbled something sleepy and indistinct.

Flash leaned over to kiss him on the cheek and Eddie pulled him closer—so they could lay down together on the couch, the symbiote shifting around them and finally resettling into an actual blanket to cover them. Flash didn't mind, exactly, but it was a little cramped...

"Hey, come on..." He poked Eddie's chest. "Let's go to bed."

With a heavy sigh and a half-hearted grumble, Eddie sat up. He let Flash get into his wheelchair and followed after him dutifully to go through the motions of bedtime—change of clothes (he certainly had an advantage there), dental hygiene and general bathroom stuff, and into bed to snuggle close to each other under the covers, with the symbiote embracing them both.

They traded a few minty fresh kisses, though Eddie was practically asleep already.

Flash nestled in close.

***

"A veil?" Flash looked up from his laptop. For a moment, he stared at nothing in particular. Then, his eyes widened. "Oh, _shit_ —"

Andi tried not to take amusement at his sudden distress, really, she did, but his deer-in-headlights expression was too much.

With a barely-held-back grin, she said, "Dude, don't freak out."

"I'm not—" Flash snapped his laptop shut and set it to the side. "I'm not freaking out. I'm fine."

She cocked an eyebrow. Mania shifted within her, equally as disbelieving.

He rubbed his face with a quiet whine.

"Okay, maybe I'm freaking out a little bit."

So, here they were, an hour later, at a bridal boutique they'd found on Google Maps. Andi, in her blackest clothing, spiked bracelets up her arms courtesy of Mania, but Mohawk down. (Too much effort.)

They had, however, taken the time to put Flash's hair up into a semblance of the updo planned for the wedding—with some of his bangs loose, and the rest all pulled up into a sort of horizontal braid... very messy. Eddie was much better at that sort of thing, compared to Andi's... attempt.

"Hi, I was wondering if I could try on some veils?"

Andi listened as Flash spoke to the lady working the little store. She poked around at some fake flowers, until Mania manifested a pink corsage on her wrist with a satisfied trill.

"Sure. We keep all our veils over here." The lady led Flash over to a section full of tulle and lace and chiffon, and Andi watched them. "What kind of veil were you thinking of getting?"

"Ummmmmmm..." Flash smoothed down the sides of his black skirt. He laughed, in that nervous way he got when he didn't have an answer. "I don't know. I've been so distracted by everything else I kinda forgot."

The lady nodded, very understanding, though Andi recognized the undercurrent of customer service exhaustion that lined her every move. But she showed Flash a few different styles, explained the way some combined...

Finally, Andi walked over to join them, Mania hiding in plain sight as a choker around her neck.  

The lady gave her a polite nod—Andi leaned her arm on Flash's shoulder and cast a discerning eye over the various lengths and cuts. One of the veils on display must have been at least five feet long. Some of them were pretty ugly... Too over-the-top, weighed down with too much lace, or fake flowers, but some of them were really pretty. And of course they were all hundreds of dollars. Andi would have to pitch in a bit of extra rent, claim she got a raise or something so Flash didn't suspect anything.

The lady let them pick a few out to try on in front of the full-length mirror nearby.

But first, Flash pulled a white jacket out from his bag—he didn't have the neckband with him, or the blouse or anything, but it helped give an overall idea of how the veil would go with his wedding outfit.

They passed over a few... too glitzy, too sheer, too opaque, too long, too short.

But one made Flash pause. One of those two-tiered veils, the longer one just down to his fingertips and the shorter one just above his waist. Simple, mostly unadorned except for a slim hem of white ribbon embroidered with a fine, fine line of golden thread. It went well with the gold buttons on the dress jacket.

"What do you think, Andi?" He pulled the blusher forward over his face, crinkling his nose as he peered through it at her.

" _I_ think..." Andi held her phone up—"I'm gonna send a pic to Eddie." She snapped a photo really quick, capturing a slightly startled expression from Flash, and as she texted Eddie (now that he finally had a phone of his own) she asked, "Doesn't your blouse have pearl buttons?" She glanced up. "Maybe you could get some matching hair pins or something."

Flash pushed the veil back from his face. "My mom gave me her old bridal comb—it has pearls on it, so I'm using that." He blew a loose strand of hair out of his face. "What does Eddie think?"

Andi checked her texts. "He says, and I quote, 'beautiful.'" She smirked. "That's it."

"Wow, helpful."

She texted that to Eddie.

He sent her back an angel emoji. Then, a few seconds later, "What is the attachment style? Comb? Metal or plastic?"

Andi told him to text Flash if he wanted to know so badly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how are they affording all this wedding stuff? veils average like $200-$300.... especially if it's tiered. They did save probably $400-600 by not getting a gown, though, and Eddie won't have to pay for his clothes... There is splurging on some honeymoon lingerie which I'm sure is probably around $100... plus the rings, though those are silver luckily... so in total what they WOULD have spent on a gown ($1000-1200) has been spread out across like three different things. I'm sure they've been scrimping and saving here and there... on top of all the OTHER shit they have to pay for like catering (god weddings are expensive) 
> 
> Andi pays a bit of the rent so that helps... MJ has connections... Also maybe credit cards... I'm sure those bills will be fun... Maybe they'll extort I mean convince someone to pay off all their credit card bills for them. Flash knows people. like tony.
> 
>  
> 
> flash: 30 bucks for a pair of underwear? no way  
> also flash: $200+ for a veil I will wear once in my life? done.
> 
> man I haven't started the wedding chapter but there's one more left I can update with tomorrow...... I've been trying to write a blog post about eddie's original backstory but it's going poorly..


	13. Bachelor(ette) (Late March: Seven weeks until the wedding)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's almost time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just filler... some domestic fluff, some awkward socializing...

Practically everything had been done, by this point.

Clothes had been bought and adjusted months ago. Hair, practiced (and practiced and practiced). Invitations, sent just the other day. Caterers long-organized, venue long-arranged, hotel rooms long-booked (thanks to some strings pulled by a certain Stark).

Flash sat on the couch eating his third muffin, from a batch freshly-baked by Eddie, with Andi on one side and Jesse on the other. It was, in his opinion, way too early to be awake considering it was Saturday, but he could survive if it meant getting presents.  

Eddie paused in the living room, checking the clock hung over the TV.

"Are you goin'?" Flash shoved the rest of his muffin in his mouth, Andi half-asleep against his shoulder and his sister reading something on her phone beside him.

"Twenty minutes." Eddie sat in the recliner with a sigh. "Do you want me to do your hair before I go?"

Flash nodded.

Eddie had Flash sit in his wheelchair in front of him so he could work his hair magic—he'd gone from passable to pretty deft, and even when he took his time, it only took a moment for him to put Flash's hair into a fishtail braid.

Since there was still a good fifteen minutes to go before Eddie left, and Jesse seemed in no particular hurry for their _own_ plans, Flash climbed up onto the recliner with Eddie and curled up in his lap. A sneaky little tendril peeked out where it wouldn't be seen, and tangled with his fingers as he leaned his head against Eddie's chest.

It was nice to listen to him breathe, and between that and Eddie's hand rubbing up and down his back, he almost fell back asleep.

But then Eddie moved, jostling Flash back into full consciousness so he could stand up. He kissed Flash goodbye and left.

"Okay." Flash stretched his arms over his head with a yawn, and let them down with a sigh. "We're leaving at 8, right?"

"Yup." Jesse grabbed a muffin from the side table. "On the dot."

Flash flopped over the arm of the recliner. "And this is supposed to be a bridal shower?"

"Yup." Jesse grinned at him. "But no one wanted to come out here and then go back to New York."

Flash grumbled, but... he couldn't blame them. "So we have to go to New York instead."

Jesse laughed. "Sure do."

The wedding itself would be in New York as well, so really all the traveling came down to Flash and Eddie and Andi—at least Jesse had been willing to come pick them up for the bachelorette party. Well, less a party, more like brunch.

"I'm gonna go get dressed."

Jesse waved him off.

***

Eddie sat wedged between John and Peter, a little uncomfortable. Dr. Steven had declined to come, which Eddie couldn't exactly begrudge him for. Harry and Mary sat across from Eddie, and Mary too looked somewhat uncomfortable, surrounded by men as she browsed the menu.

She noticed Eddie looking at her, and smiled.

It was a little strange to see her again, finally... After over a decade.

As if to quell his doubts, the symbiote sent a gentle reassurance into his thoughts. It seemed a little out of sorts as well, though. As much as they had both reconciled with Peter (as much as possible) it was strange, still, to be in close proximity to him without Flash around, and the others Eddie barely knew—well, except for John.

Eddie broke from his contemplation as the waiter asked for their orders.

"Mimosas?"

Only Harry said yes—Peter didn't drink, Eddie had his medications to think about, Mary had been discouraged from drinking for similar reasons, and John... well, man-wolves were probably allergic to alcohol or something.

They ordered their food.

Eddie zoned out through most of the so-called bachelor party brunch, occasionally speaking to John or Mary, more focused on his food and the symbiote in his head.

[ **Could be checking on reservations right now... What if some didn't go through?** ]

But they'd checked and double-checked, months ago, and Tony Stark had organized everything with the hotel at Flash's request, so they didn't even have to pay for the rooms...

[ **But what if, Eddie? _What if?_** ]

_What if what?_

[ **What if the guests don't like the food?** ]

Eddie controlled his expression as best he could, amused in spite of himself.

 _Love_.

[ **What if they don't like the music and everything is ruined?** ]

 _Darling, it's fine_.

Honestly, Eddie was less worried about the wedding itself and more worried about...well, himself. That he would make a mistake, his thousandth mistake in a string of a thousand more. That he'd drive the people he loved away from him, just like he always did—

[ **Won't happen. You've changed.** ]

Eddie smiled to himself, as he sipped a glass of ice water.

 _We've changed_.

And they had.

So much so.

[ **Love you Eddie, and Flash loves you.** ]

 _Flash loves both of us_.

[ **Yes**.]

 _And we love Flash_.

[ **And each other.** ]

 _And each other, yes_.

***

Peter caught Eddie before he could leave the restaurant—Eddie gestured for Mary to go on ahead.

"So, Eddie."

He crossed his arms and looked down at Peter, making clear his impatience.

Peter narrowed his eyes. "Listen." He put an outwardly friendly hand on Eddie's shoulder, though Eddie could just feel the strength hidden in Peter's deceptively lanky frame. "Obviously you two are in love, or whatever, and you make Flash happy for whatever reason, and—I'm trying to be less of a dick but..." Peter inspected Eddie's face closely for a moment. "But if you hurt Flash..."

Eddie rolled his eyes, making a show of his disbelief, disgust—as the symbiote unfurled across part of his face. "For the last time—"

"No, just listen—" Peter took his hand off Eddie's arm—put them up, an attempt at appeasement. "I _care_ about Flash, and I know you've been together for years but... All I'm saying is... be a good husband, this time."

Eddie scoffed. "Like you're one to talk."

The symbiote buzzed, scolding, under his skin.

Peter's mouth thinned into a flat line but he said, "Point taken." He paused. "I..." Sigh. "Sorry. That was uncalled for. I shouldn't act like I know what actually happened between you and Anne..."

Eddie shrugged. "We fucked up. We're not going to do that this time."

They looked at each other a moment.

"Well, if you do... I'll break your kneecaps."

"We'd expect nothing less." Eddie left Peter behind with a parting pat on the shoulder—probably less friendly than it should have been, a little too forceful—and joined his sister out on the sidewalk so he could accompany her home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eddie has become an expert in doing a bunch of different kinds of braids for flash in the past year or two... also flash has been growing his hair out (with occasional trims for split ends ofc) this entire time so it's probably like... down to the bottoms of his shoulder blades by now? way long. it was shoulder-length last Christmas and that was almost a year and a half. Probably wavy, might curl up at the ends a little bit.
> 
> Jesse and Andi take Flash out for a sober bachelor(ette) party btw—this was all planned between Peter, MJ, Jesse, and Andi—including Eddie's bachelor brunch lol. Flash and co. go out to brunch and then do karaoke; Felicia I think is probably there—I'm not sure about Betty. She's definitely gonna be at the wedding. it's been YEARS so I'm gonna say, in my heart, she'd gladly go to Flash's bachelor/ette party.
> 
> After leaving the brunch early I think Eddie spends a while at Mary's place catching up with her before eventually going home.
> 
> WEDDING IS NEXT (probably? or perhaps pre-wedding stuff in the hotel... not sure yet.)  
> but i gotta write it....


	14. Eve (Late May, 4th anniversary)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is the eve of the wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay i lied about this one being the wedding but the NEXT one will be. almost definitely. probably.
> 
> Andi paints Flash's nails for the first time, Flash is nervous, Eddie is in love, we finally get some symby POV...
> 
>  
> 
> (i didn't realize until I wrote this one that there was.... no symbiote pov anywhere in this fic lmfao)

Andi picked through her bottles of nail polish thoughtfully. She had a lot of purples... more than one black... some reds and a few pinks... "What color do you want?" She held up a bottle of silver glitter. "Most of these are sparkly but I've got a couple that aren't."

Flash joined her, leaning up a little bit from his wheelchair to get a better look.

He made a show of deep thought, humming and inspecting a few bottles at random.

Mania snuck out a tendril and pulled up a bottle of dark red glitter polish, and reached another tendril out to grab Flash by the hand, tugging on his ring finger and holding the bottle next to his engagement ring.

"Oh!" Flash grinned, as Mania let out a grumble of dissatisfaction and went for a different shade.

Just a plain crème, bright candy red. They shook the bottle and Andi took it from them. "You think so?"

They purred.

Flash sat back a little in his wheelchair with a soft smile. "I think so, too."

"Okay, so you wanna do it now, or wait until we get to the hotel room tonight?"

Flash rolled himself out of Andi's room as he considered. She followed him out into the living room—he tucked his hair behind his ear and said, "Hotel room. I don't wanna chip it making dinner."

Andi snorted, but gave the bottle a little toss—caught it in her hand and then pocketed it, trusting Mania to prevent it from falling out.

***

The symbiote curled around Eddie's arms as he carried everyone's luggage into the hotel room—constricted across his skin in the form of a black polyester shirt as his biceps flexed and relaxed with each shift of muscle. Every movement of ever cell in his body, it felt and adored. The dissolution of oxygen into his blood, the bellows-action of his lungs, the procession of light into his retinas. The slow flood of endorphins as Flash leaned over from his wheelchair to ask him something, hand on Eddie's elbow and long hair drawn back into a messy ponytail.

Eddie rumbled something in affirmative.

The way loose strands of hair fell stray into Flash's face always struck a sparkle of fondness, along with the way Flash's face dimpled when he smiled, and the sound of Flash's voice.

Those things also made the symbiote happy but it especially liked Flash's laughter and how warm his calloused hands were.

Right now, though, he was focused. "I double-checked and the ballroom is 100% confirmed to be ready for the reception tomorrow—" Flash steered himself over to the foot of one of the queen-sized beds as he spoke. "Did you check with the church to make sure everything is fine?"

"It's fine." Eddie spoke calmly, a mix of fond irritation and a soft understanding resting in his thoughts as he quelled Flash's nerves. He sat beside Flash on the foot of the bed, full of fatigue as he let out a sigh. "I promise."

Flash tucked one of those loose strands behind his ear, prompting a little bloom of attraction in Eddie and making the symbiote soft with affection at the way he tilted his head, tiny lines between his eyebrows and a slight frown pulling down on the corners of his mouth.

"Are you sure? I just don't want—"

"Look at me." Eddie cupped Flash's face in his hands, running his thumbs over the curve of Flash's cheekbones. He leaned their foreheads together with a gentle breath, as calm as he could make himself, as thoughts filled his head—how much he didn’t want to disappoint Flash, how he wanted everything to be perfect just for him—"We're getting married."

Flash made a face, slightly cross-eyed as he tried to focus on the closeness of Eddie's face, brow knitted in slight confusion. "Y...yeah? I know."

Eddie let out a huff as he tried to gather his thoughts together into the correct order to send to his mouth, to come out as words. The symbiote helped him, as much as it could, and he said, "Nothing is going to go wrong, but if it does... we are still getting married." He closed his eyes, nose brushing slightly against Flash's. "Think about that."

Without Eddie's eyes, it couldn't see Flash—not unless it felt like manifesting outside of his body as more than just a shirt—but it could feel Flash's breathing, Flash's heartbeat, the slight waft of nervous sweat and heat.

"You are marrying us." A flutter of some unnamable emotion moved through Eddie's body at that, in his gut and up the back of his neck. "We are marrying you."

"Eddie..."

Footsteps and the increasing proximity of its own clone notified the symbiote of Andi's approach, her and Mania, just enough in advance for Eddie to give Flash a quick kiss and then stand. Right then, Andi half-kicked open the door, hauling one last suitcase in her arms and saying something about "—muffins downstairs made of like, gold leaf or something—Man, I've never been someplace so fucking fancy!"

***

Eddie was asleep in the bed up against the wall, and Andi sat on hers—a queen to herself! Not as good as a room to herself, but she wasn't about to complain in such a swanky hotel. Flash sat in his wheelchair at the foot of her bed, with a piece of paper laid over the sheets to protect them as Andi painted his nails. They'd never done this before, mostly because he never seemed too interested, and the only other time it had come up Flash had told her "It'll just get chipped, anyway."

She suspected maybe he had some other concerns, but didn't press him about it after that.

But now, on the eve of Flash's wedding, she very carefully applied that candy red lacquer to each of his nails, freshly cut and (for once) filed slightly so they weren't so sharp-edged after the nail clippers.

Flash kept wrinkling his nose up and turning his face away, and Andi snickered to herself.

She had Mania, dozing around her neck and through her body, to ward off the fumes.

Eddie had Venom, of course, as he slept.

Flash didn't get such benefits.

He buried his face in one of his arms, careful not to jostle too much, and mumbled "Why does it smell so _bad_?"

"Baby."

"Haven't they invented anti-smell technology for this stuff yet? I bet someone could do that."

Andi paused to laugh, trying not to be too loud of course. Mania steadied her hand and made sure she didn't drip any nail polish onto her pants or the bed or Flash's skin.

Despite all the complaining, when she had finished, and the nail polish was at least dry enough to touch without completely ruining it, Flash kept _looking_ at it. Just turning his hands over, curling and uncurling his fingers to catch the light, a bit of hair falling into his face.

Andi smiled to herself, as she headed to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

Mania sent her a little series of emotions, not quite words but almost grammatical—a semi-image, semi-feeling that embodied Coach Thompson, a feeling of happiness, and a soft questioning prod.

"Yeah." Andi squeezed some toothpaste out onto her toothbrush and said, "I think he likes it."


	15. I Do (Late May, 4th Anniversary)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is EXTRA hefty (it's only just under 6k but considering how short the rest are that's hefty) because I have no self-control and at times go into boring, unnecessary detail....  
> I googled some stuff about Catholic weddings... they seem tiring lol  
> I ALSO don't really know a lot about military weddings but it does seem that since Flash is (presumably) retired due to injury, he probably doesn't have a lot he's required to do... So I mostly just stuck with his army buddies (who i assume exist but who tf knows) acting as ushers and then the saber arch.  
> oh also the whole "cutting a wedding cake with a sword" thing
> 
> Also I haven't really proofread it very thoroughly...
> 
> Wedding!!!!!!  
> We got a bit of pre-wedding prep, some reassuring, some calling Flash beautiful; we got the wedding itself and some vows and some kissing.... Some feels... cake... wedding garter antics... dancing... sleepy bath...
> 
> outfits for eddie, flash, andi and peter:
> 
>  
> 
>   
> [on tumblr](http://hoardlikegoldenirises.tumblr.com/post/183042264202)
> 
>  
> 
> Mary and Jesse have pansy corsages to match the best men, and pretty blue dresses.
> 
>  
> 
> I put thought into it and while I don't think Flash is NEARLY so blindly patriotic as some of the authors (coughdanslottcough) write him to be, I do think flash considers his time in the army to be an important part of his past, and part of what made him a better person and the... person he is today. So he's wearing the mess uniform, because... it's important to him, and his medal of honor is important to him, and stuff... He's done some stuff he's not proud of, but he's also done good, and he IS proud of that.
> 
>  
> 
> Like I said, Flash is wearing white mess, which is like... spring/summer black tie eveningwear and works perfectly for this late afternoon/evening wedding in May... but they requested that the army boys wear the dark navy blue mess uniforms to match Andi and Peter's blue jackets :P
> 
>    
> okay enough from me, here's the fic:

"Wow."

Flash felt himself blush slightly, as he adjusted his jacket on the way out of the bathroom. He didn't even have his hair done yet, just dressed and made up—but Eddie looked at him like he was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen...

"NO KISSING!"

Flash jumped slightly, and Eddie rolled his eyes as Andi exclaimed, "I just did your makeup! You'll mess it up!"

Eddie settled for kissing Flash's cheek, a bit of symbiote sneaking out to smooch his other cheek at the same time as he mumbled, "Ready?"

They sat together on their hotel bed, Flash on the edge with his skirt hiked up to adjust his legs really quick as Eddie ran his fingers through his hair, pulling it in careful sections as he braided it up along the base of Flash's skull. The front, he left loose, falling to Flash's chest, but the rest went into the updo, until he was satisfied with his handiwork.

Of course, that wasn't it, no.

He adjusted Flash's head to the angle he found best, and then began the process of carefully layering combs and bobby pins not just to keep parts of the braid in place, but to attach the veil and the decorative comb itself, all pearls and a sprig of silver and enamel that looked a little bit like baby's breath.

Eddie tweaked his work slightly, and carefully smoothed Flash's veil out so it hung straight. The symbiote tugged at the hem, too, ensuring it looked perfect. Flash couldn't help but smile—as if it wouldn't get a little blown around the minute he went anywhere...

Still.

"You look beautiful."

Flash's grin widened. "Do I? Are you sure?" He turned his shoulders and tossed a playful glance back at Eddie. "You better tell me again, just in case I misheard you."

"You're beautiful." Eddie pulled the veil slightly to the side so he could get at the bare skin just over the collar of Flash's blouse, lips warm and gentle. "The most beautiful bride in the world."

The symbiote snuck around to take one of Flash's hands, as Eddie peppered his neck with tiny kisses, and Flash bit back a quiet laugh—Eddie's beard tickled, and suddenly the way Eddie called Flash beautiful made him feel so bashful... or maybe it was the "bride" part, but either way he knew he'd gone bright pink and probably looked like a dork with a big, goofy grin on his face, with his fiancée lavishing him in attention...

"Hey!"

Ah, there was Andi, emerged from the bathroom herself now, with her Mohawk standing tall.

"I said no kissing!"

Flash gave her an exaggerated pout and Eddie huffed but he pulled away, and fixed Flash's veil so it lay straight once more. He smoothed a hand down Flash's arm, as well, and said, "Let's go curl your bangs, hm?"

***

"Your mom and everyone is downstairs, already, in the lobby." Andi adjusted her bowtie, then took it off and threw it at the bed. "The limo should be parked out front."

"'Kay, just gimme a sec." Flash adjusted the blue ribbon so it lay flat, under the lapels of his mess jacket, and over the rounded collar of his blouse. Slightly larger than the black neck tab in the way it hung, but still fairly high. He poked at the medallion, and at the mini medals on his jacket as well. Had to be just right...

Eddie took his hands and held them away from his chest. "You look beautiful, I promise."

Flash let out a sigh.

Eddie pulled one of his hands close, and kissed his palm—Flash let him, but slipped from his grasp so he could cup his face with both hands. Eddie closed his eyes a moment, at Flash's touch. Just a moment, and then he looked at Flash intently, like he wanted to stare at him forever.

Then, simply murmured, "Come on, make sure we have everything and let's go."

***

"Fuck."

Eddie raised his eyebrows, as he helped Flash out of the limo and onto the sidewalk.

"I forgot my cane at the hotel." Flash held onto Eddie with one arm, and pulled the edge of his skirt up and out of the way with the other, patent black shoes catching the light.

[ **Do we have time...?** ]

Eddie glanced at his phone, held out by the symbiote in lieu of a watch—3:45 on the dot. His other slipped it back into the breast pocket in the red lining of his jacket and Eddie said "We don't have time" as he offered his hand to Flash's mother, to help her out as well. "If you get tired, you can hold onto me."

Flash pressed his lips together in a thin line, but he made himself relax, letting out a sigh, and muttered, "Okay."

They had fifteen minutes until the ceremony started, guests arriving via carpool or foot or even bike, and a handful of Flash's old army buddies, done up in their military best, stood at attention by the open doors of Our Lady of Saints, ready to usher anyone who needed ushering. A bunch of fresh-cut, clean-shaven men with perfect posture and navy blue jackets—but they smiled, and one of them (who Eddie recalled meeting a few times) bowed with a flourish and kissed the back of Flash's hand, producing a bouquet from behind his back—blue and pink and purple hydrangeas layered with sprigs of delicate white baby's breath.

"Ma'am." He offered the bouquet to Flash with a cheeky grin, and Flash snorted, but he took them with his own grin.

As they entered the church, Flash leaned close and whispered, a little silly, "He called me _'ma'am_.'"

Eddie squeezed his waist.

***

Flash let out a deep breath and pulled the blusher veil down to cover his face.

He took to Eddie's left, linking their arms together—it wasn't as though either of them had a father to be there, and Eddie never had his mother either, so... a little non-traditional, with Flash's mom and Eddie's sister on either side to walk them both down the aisle after the priest, leading with the sign of the cross.

It had been a while since Flash had been to a Catholic wedding (or any wedding, for that matter) and it had been just as long since his first marriage... But this church was small and historical, with its checkered floor and small blue rose window, with its big cross up against the back wall... Hydrangeas and baby's breath adorned the altar and parts of the pews and other small places, here and there. matching the bouquet in Flash's hand.

It took them a little longer to get up to the altar, moving slow so Flash's mom could keep up with her walker—Mary, too... What a group they made.

At least Andi didn't seem to mind being stuck behind them with the rings.

Still a little awkward with Peter and Jesse and the priest already waiting for them...

But eventually they got there, and one of Flash's military buddies helped Flash's mom away, to sit in the front as Flash and Eddie took their places. Peter had a folding chair ready for Mary, and she knelt on it to rest some of her weight off of her feet as Andi and Peter got the rings ready—

Andi fell into her place between Flash and his sister as the priest began with a prayer.

It felt like, over the next succession of minutes the audience sat and stood and sat and stood a thousand times, with exceptions for the few people who couldn't participate.

 At least Flash didn't have to do that, with his head bowed in front of all those people.

Liturgies, acclamations, homilies...

Finally, finally... Finally, Flash and Eddie turned to face each other, and Eddie reached out, ruby cufflinks catching the light as he lifted Flash's veil up to push it back down away from the bridal comb holding everything in place. Black briefly flooded his eyes, a dark flicker to remind Flash who else was here, as Eddie—and somewhere in him, the symbiote—smiled at him and took one of his hands. (The other occupied by the bouquet, of course.)

"Edward Brock and Flash Thompson, have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?"

Flash nodded, as Eddie said "We have," then remembered—oh, right, he was supposed to say that too.

"Uh—yes. I have."

"Will you honor each other as man and spouse for rest the of your lives?"

Easy. "I will."

"Will you accept children lovingly from God, and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his church?”

Less easy—Flash glanced over at the priest for a brief second before giving his "I will."

He caught Eddie holding back a grin, eyes bright with suppressed laughter, when he looked back at him.  "We _absolutely_ will."

Flash wrinkled his nose. What a jerk. A big old jerk, who he loved.

"Since it is your intention to enter into the covenant of Holy Matrimony, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church."

Flash moved his bouquet into his left hand so he could take Eddie's hand, palm sweaty but still glad for that familiar warmth—and then coolness, as the symbiote seeped out into the microscopic spaces between their touching skin. Eddie squeezed his hand, and Flash squeezed back, holding tight.

"Do you, Edward, take Flash for your lawful spouse, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

Eddie was quiet a moment, but Flash could tell it wasn't hesitation—he recognized that faraway look in Eddie's eyes, gazing down at him—

A brief sheen of black again, as he murmured, " **We do.** "

Just the slightest rumble, the barest low thrum...

"And do you, Flash, take Edward for your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do..." Flash couldn't keep from grinning, wide and bright.

The priest finished off his end of the vows and led into another prayer, a blessing—"What God joins together, let no one put asunder."

After all these blessings and prayers, finally, Andi and Peter gave the rings over—Andi took Flash's bouquet so his hands would be free. Flash held Eddie's wedding band in all but a death grip as Eddie spoke, voice low—

"Flash," He reached for Flash's left hand. So gentle and careful, for such a big guy, with such a rough reputation. "Receive these rings as a sign of our love and fidelity." He slipped a narrow silver band onto Flash's ring finger, and then a narrower black tungsten band, both plain and simple and perfectly snug. "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." He took a moment to just hold Flash's hand before letting him go.

"Eddie..." Flash faltered slightly at first, but Eddie mouthed the words at him. "Receive this ring... as a sign of my love and fidelity." Flash took his hand and slid the silver band onto his finger beside the wide, symbiotic black-and-silver ring already there. "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

The priest led them in yet another prayer, though Flash admittedly didn't pay much attention. (Oops.)

Flash couldn't remember the last time he'd done communion... Eddie helped him to kneel, which between the prosthetics and the skirt and the slippery floor, proved a little more difficult than usual.

Andi and Peter shuffled awkwardly while the Catholics did their thing, but then—finally—the priest dismissed everyone.

Army boys first, standing at attention outside the front doors as the wedding guests slowly filtered out onto the sidewalk, while Eddie and Flash turned their attention to the official paperwork, signing where they needed to for everything to actually be legally binding, witnessed legally by Andi and Peter, Mary and Jesse.

Our Lady of Saints had all but emptied out, with even their family out waiting on the sidewalk. They could just see the glint of metal in the sunlight as Flash's buddies took their places—Flash had his bouquet again, and together they walked out beneath the arch of sabers as their friends and family cheered.

Eddie grabbed Flash by the waist and tugged him close, as someone (maybe Harry?) shouted, "Make out!!"

They didn't _quite_ make out, but Flash tugged Eddie down and laid one on him in front of everyone, a camera flashing somewhere bright as the sun slipped away behind some buildings, shadowing the front of the church. He wrapped his arms around Eddie's shoulders, letting Eddie support him a little. Flash pushed up into the kiss as best he could (considering he didn't have tip-toes to stand on), clutching his bouquet of hydrangeas tightly in one hand as the sun peeked back out and warmed their skin in the evening breeze.

***

Peter stood beside the hand-written NO ALCOHOL sign, texting, as he waited for the newlyweds—sure enough, there they were. Flash waved at him, beaming, all flushed and clutching his purple and blue bouquet as Eddie slung an arm around his middle. Eddie shot Peter a look, nodding toward the elevator.

Right. He'd texted him from the limo to grab Flash's cane—Peter made his way over to them, to grab their room key from Eddie.

For some reason, he half-expected to find some kind of disaster zone in their hotel room, but considering Andi was sharing the room with them... that was a little silly of him.

He found Flash's cane right beside the door, leaned into the corner.

"Well, at least I don't have to search for it." He grabbed it and made his way back out, to the elevator, to the ballroom—

Eddie and Flash had posted up in the entrance to greet people, to accept their congratulations and handshakes. Peter posted up behind Betty, patiently waiting his turn at the end of the line... Of course, it only took a minute or two at most...

"Hey!" Flash let Peter wrap him up in a big hug, returning it just as strong before pulling away and saying, "Thanks—my back is killing me." as he took his cane.

Peter clapped him on the arm with a grin. "You know I'd do anything for you."

"I know." Flash hugged him again, just one arm this time, squeezing tight. "Love you, man."

"Uh-oh—Don't make your new husband jealous." Peter drew away with a wink—Eddie let out an incredulous scoff, at that.

Peter shot him a smirk, and got rolled eyes in return.

To think, this guy used to want him dead.

How things had changed.

***

Eddie stood behind Flash, covering his hands—never in his life would he have expected to cut a cake with a _sword_ , but here he was, the symbiote joining in as they used a military saber to slice into their wedding cake. Not-too-extravagant, but still nice; a two-tiered chocolate layer cake with strawberry jam filling, white frosting edged with crystal sugar, and a cluster of blue pansies right in the center.

It cut smoothly.

"Where's a fork?" Flash cast around for something—the symbiote snuck out a tendril, presenting him with a plastic fork as it filled Eddie's head with amusement.

Flash snatched the fork with a grin. "Come here." He pecked Eddie on the cheek before grabbing a forkful of cake from their shared sword-cut slice. "Open wide!" Flash grinned—

[ **Chocolate....** ]

Eddie let Flash feed him a bite, and (as the symbiote snuck some crumbs, humming happily) fed Flash a little bit as well.

Flash wouldn't let him take the fork back, clamped between his teeth—Eddie rolled his eyes and let it go, but leaned in to kiss Flash on the cheek. Narrowly avoided getting jabbed in the face with the handle of the fork, at which point Flash spat it out onto the paper plate holding their cake.

"Hey." Flash caught Eddie's lips with his own, briefly. "You got frosting on your beard."

Eddie wiped at his face with a half-hearted grumble.

Inside him, the symbiote thrummed; no words, just joy and love floating through his body—a quick little tendril took the plate from Flash, and maybe this was just a ploy so the symbiote could eat their entire slice of cake but Eddie grabbed Flash and wrapped him up tight in his arms anyway.

For a second, Flash seemed startled, with his hands up. But he reached up and held him back.

Someone let out an "aww" and Eddie ignored the fact that at least a dozen people were probably watching. He breathed deep before letting Flash go, finally. Stared at him for a few seconds, just taking in his face; the way his hair framed his face, the soft pinkness of his lips, his dimpled smile.

"What're you looking at?" A little bit of pearly shimmer on Flash's eyelids brought out a few flecks of a more golden-brown in his hazel-green eyes.

Eddie kissed his forehead. "Nothing."

The symbiote purred.

"I want cake!!"

Right. There were children here. Hungry children, most likely.

"Alright, alright!" Eddie craned his neck to see Normie pouting with his arms crossed. "Come get your cake."

He let Flash go for real, then, and he and the symbiote turned to start cutting the cake (with a knife, now) to give slices to their family—Mary, Flash's mom, Andi, and so on—while Flash uncovered vanilla cupcakes for the rest of the guests... white cake, vanilla frosting, topped with little candied blue pansies.

Normie was, of course, first in line.

***

"A toast!"

Peter raised his glass of sparkling orange juice.

"But not from me—not yet!" He gestured toward Eddie, miraculously spilling nothing. "Can we get the groom up here?"

Andi rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair as Eddie left their table to join Peter on the little stage about ten feet away. Perks of a rented hotel ballroom. She stroked Mania's head, nestled around her wrist and hidden under the edge of her sleeve, only half listening as Eddie took to the microphone and began some long-winded speech. The beauty of the bride, a subtle dig at Peter Parker, and... a poem. Of course. Of course he was reading a poem, which he wrote, for Flash.

So sickeningly sweet, so romantic—Andi pretended not to notice Flash clearing his throat in an effort to keep composed.

Oh, and now Eddie had teared up on stage.

Wonderful.

Andi buried her head in her arms. Mania bumbled around inside her sleeve, giving her little pats here and there as if that might dissipate her secondhand embarrassment.

***

The speeches went well, even though Eddie had found himself perhaps... overly emotional onstage. The symbiote could feel his overwhelmed flood of love and anxiety—it had been so long since he wrote something as self-indulgent as a love poem—and it reached out to his thoughts to soothe him. He pushed back gratitude, and more love, as he wiped the corners of his eyes on his sleeve (bright pink and completely made of the symbiote itself). (Not that anyone else knew that.)

They left the stage a little quickly, traded off with Flash who spoke in a much clumsier way, mostly to thank the guests and say how glad he was to be with his friends and family, and how happy he was... That got Eddie going again, and he sniffled as he ate his pasta next to Andi.

Flash's mom gave a speech, too, and Flash held Eddie's hand at some of the things she said—the symbiote didn't quite grasp why, but it reached out to curl around their fingers anyway.

Peter's speech was... bad. At least, according to Eddie's opinion, swirling around as he raised his eyebrows.

Felicia Hardy had a short piece to say as well—sudden and impromptu—but the symbiote was glad she had come, and Eddie seemed touched... she wasn't that much different from them. Dealt a lot of bad luck and trying to make the best of it, uncharacteristically awkward as she smoothed down her little black dress and said, "I just wanted to say thanks."

Brunnhilde upstaged them all—no alcohol in sight but as raucous as one could expect from a Valkyrie like her. Tall and beaming and loud, proclaiming an entirely inappropriate joke that, in any hope, flew right over the kids' heads. (When Eddie glanced at Flash, laughing, they could see he'd gone beet red.)

And last but not least... Andi excused herself from the table, pulling something small out of her pocket as she walked up to an A/V setup Peter had brought out at some point. A laptop hooked up to a projector. Peter hopped up onto the stage and pulled down the screen as Andi popped her drive into the computer.

It took them a few seconds, but after some noodling around on the desktop, they got a video player going, and the sound of an unfamiliar love song came on over the speakers, quiet at first then a little louder as Peter adjusted the volume...

Eddie's breath caught. Not because of anything bad, but...

It started with a picture of him and Flash together, sitting on the couch, seemingly in the middle of a conversation and clearly taken with a phone camera.

Andi must have snuck it when they weren't looking.

Goofy transitions led through a series of similar photos; selfies of them all together, candid shots of one or both of them, even a few with the symbiote itself visible as a black blob or tendril that might easily be confused with a strange shadow or speck of dust on the camera lens.

A lot of confusing and intense emotions swirled around inside Eddie, culminating in tears—they welled up in his eyes, as he looked away just for a second. They felt Flash's hand on Eddie's shoulder, the soft murmur of Flash's voice. Eddie looked back at the photos Andi had snuck over the past few years, and since he didn't seem to mind crying, the symbiote didn't try to make the tears stop. It just curled around the back of his neck, cooling and comforting.

Andi seemed to have hidden behind the projector.

Flash had slipped his arm through Eddie's, leaning into him—he exuded strong emotions as well, but didn't cry. He kept mumbling soft, comforting words.

The symbiote wrapped around their linked arms as the slideshow finished and the music faded out.

Andi grabbed her thumb drive and scurried back to her seat with them before anyone could say anything—but before she could sit down Eddie grabbed her and pulled her into a bear hug, mumbling, "Thank you."

There were a lot more words he wanted to say; the symbiote could feel them. Words about how much this meant to him, considering he had grown up with almost no pictures of his life, even in college. Just yearbook photos, maybe a photo or two taken for posterity by a professional; all posed and stiff... a few with Anne, later on... But this. This was so much more, so he just hugged her tight until she squirmed.

"You're gonna break my bones—" Andi writhed out of his grip and threw herself into her chair, bright red but smiling.

Eddie shook his head. "You're _fine_." He wiped his eyes on his sleeve for the second time that night.

The symbiote twined itself between his fingers and gave his hand a squeeze.

***

Everyone had finished eating (mostly), music played quietly in the background, and Peter rose to his feet, adjusting his jacket and the pansy on his lapel.

He sauntered over to where Flash and Eddie sat with their family, casual as anything, and snatched the bouquet from where it had been set in the middle of the table. He offered it to Flash with a flourish, and a cheeky grin. "If I might have a moment of your time?"

Flash rolled his eyes but took the bouquet, and took Peter's arm.

"Hey!" Peter shouted out to get everyone's attention. "Who wants to catch some flowers?!"

Flash elbowed him in the ribs, but he just laughed.

A small group of people—pretty much everyone, really—gathered around the small open space in front of the stage, and Peter let Flash use him to pull himself up onto the stage—no steps or ramp, which really did seem potentially illegal and just kind of thoughtless in general, but... nothing to be done about that now.

"I'm gonna complain about this..." Flash kept smiling, despite his dark mutter, and pulled away from Peter—without warning, he shouted, "Go long!" and hurled the bouquet into the small crowd as hard as he could.

It hit Eddie's sister in the face.

"Oh, shit—" Flash tried not to laugh, heroically, but he laughed anyway. "I'm _so_ sorry! Are you okay?"

Mary shot him a thumbs up. "I'm okay!"

Peter shook his head, smiling to himself.

Then, "Cue the music! Get a chair! I need something familiar! Everyone here is too Catholic!"

A few people laughed, but Eddie took his signal to carry one of the collapsible chairs up to the stage. He pushed it up first and then stepped up to join them, straightening his pink jacket before moving the chair right to the center of the stage, angled slightly, while a David Bowie song blasted over the speakers.

Peter and Eddie exchanged looks, playful and almost competitive (at least, on Peter's part) and each took one of Flash's arms. He'd agreed to this beforehand, of course, and let them sit him down with as much gentlemanly drama as they could muster, still laughing, even though he'd sat on his veil. Maybe because of it.

"Hey—" Peter helped him tug the veil out of the way and draped it over the back of the chair for him. "Can't let a beautiful bride such as yourself get all snagged up, eh?"

Flash patted his arm. "Yeah, yeah. Thanks, Pete." He shot him a smile.

Peter stepped back, a foot or two away and behind, keeping an eye on the crowd as Eddie knelt in front of Flash.

***

Flash knew about this in advance, of course. He'd bought the garters himself, after all. But he could still feel himself blush a little under the hot lights on the stage, as Eddie got down on the floor in front of him. Eddie's eyes went black a moment, and his teeth sharp, as he looked up at Flash and together he and the symbiote asked, " **You good?** "

"I'm _fine_." Flash reached out and popped him on the head with his palm. "Hurry up."

He tried not to think about how his mom was watching.

Eddie took his sweet time, carefully adjusting Flash's skirt so he could reach up under it without flashing the audience or embarrassing Flash. A few threads of the symbiote poked around here and there, helping keep everything straight.

He glanced up again, questioning.

"Seriously, it's fine."

Eddie worked the garter down Flash's prosthetic leg, careful not to catch it on the knee joint, and when he saw the colors he sighed. He got it off around the foot and held it up with an unimpressed expression. "Seriously?" His mouth quirked up, though. "Spider-Man?"

Flash grinned.

Eddie shook his head, smiling for real then. "Hey!" He got Peter's attention. "Think fast!"

He shot the garter at Peter.

"Ah! No! I'm hit!"

Flash twisted around to see Peter sink dramatically to the floor.

"I can see my life flashing before my eyes—ha, _flash_ ing." Peter snickered to himself on the ground.

"Booo, get better jokes." (As if Flash hadn't laughed a little, himself.)

Peter grabbed Flash's Spider-Man garter, sparing just a moment to grin smugly over at them before tossing it—it fluttered to the floor barely a foot away.

"...Well." Peter sat up. "I tried."

Then he grabbed it again and shot it off into the small crowd like a slingshot, just like Eddie had shot it at him.

After all those antics, Peter took the chair off of the stage and the music changed, a little slower... a little more romantic...

"Time for the bridal waltz! Wedding waltz? They're gonna dance!"

Eddie rolled his eyes, as he took Flash's hand—Flash took the lead, though, as they started to dance, still onstage in front of everyone.

The song was a cover of an older one, familiar to Flash, but more familiar to Eddie; they'd picked it together, though, as a compromise between their musical tastes.

The symbiote reached around Flash's waist. blending in with the black of his cummerbund and skirt.

When the song changed, Peter hopped back onstage—

"Mind if I cut in?"

He took Flash from Eddie—not just that, but he used all his super Spidey strength to lift Flash off his feet for just a moment, effortless, dropping them both down to the open floor in front of the stage to join the guests as people began to pair off with friends and family to dance, as the music grew more upbeat—Flash caught a glance of Eddie, offering his hand to Flash's mom.

Good. He wasn't alone.

Flash turned his attention to Peter, who'd taken the lead...  not so surprising, all things considered.

"You ever notice how... even without legs, I'm still taller than you?" Flash gave Peter his most charming smile.

Peter gasped, faux-offended. "What do you mean 'without legs'?" He spun them in a little circle as he said, "You're wearing legs right now!"

True, true...

"Whatever—" Flash let Peter coax him into a dip, veil fluttering, and as they came back up said, "Thanks."

Peter raised just one eyebrow. "What for?"

"For being my friend." Flash tried, ineffectually, to switch who led. "For being so nice today."

"Hey..." Peter tightened his hand around Flash's waist. "I know I'm an asshole sometimes, but I'd never ruin something like this just 'cause of some... petty bullshit." He lifted Flash's hand slightly—pulled his arm around his shoulder so he could give Flash a hug as they danced. "I know I don't always show it well but I care about you a lot."

 Flash closed his eyes a moment, leaning on Peter. "Pete..."

Peter planted a kiss on Flash's cheek, and pulled away. "I should probably go uh... wash my... hair?" He clapped Flash on the shoulder and beat a quick retreat.

Flash rolled his eyes. He shouldn't have expected any kind of real emotional conversation from Peter Parker, of all people. Not that he himself had ever been particularly good with that kind of stuff, either.

Brunnhilde materialized out of nowhere in all her six-foot-plus glory, and pulled Flash out of his thoughts to dance with her.

***

8 PM and Flash wanted nothing more than to pass the fuck out.

They'd said their goodbyes—Peter announced their departure over the mic, and they waved to everyone, Flash leaning on his cane as they headed out.

They made it all the way to the exit before Eddie—without warning—swept him off his feet. Literally.

"Hey!" Flash tightened his arm around Eddie's shoulders, clutching his cane in his free hand. "A little heads up next time, okay?"

Eddie smiled and gave him a little kiss on the nose. "Of course." The symbiote took Flash's cane (as if that wouldn't look suspicious to any random passersby).

Flash leaned his head on Eddie's shoulder.

Not once did Eddie let him down. Not that Flash _asked_ , but... He carried Flash to the elevator, kept holding him all the way up to their floor, carried him down the hallway... Had the symbiote fish out his keycard and unlock the door to their hotel room, and still didn't let him down as black tendrils shut the door. None of them bothered to turn on the lights. Eddie just carried him to their bed and finally set him down on top of the blankets with a soft kiss.

When Eddie pulled back, Flash muttered, "Aren't you Mr. Romantic..."

He barely caught a glint as Eddie grinned, presumably full of fangs.

" **We try our best.** "

Definitely full of fangs.

Eddie settled on the bed behind him, and pulled gently at his veil, as the symbiote reached a long tendril like a snake toward the bathroom.

The bathtub thunked on, as Eddie unfastened the ribbon on Flash's Medal of Honor. He left Flash on the bed for a moment, to put it away, but then he was right at Flash's back again, solid and warm.

He worked one comb out of Flash's hair—set it aside, very careful, then reached to pull the other out too. Straight up, but still a couple of bobby pins caught in Flash's hair. Eddie picked those out with just as much attention as he always paid to Flash, and the pins went onto the side table between the beds right beside the bridal comb. A stray tentacle took Flash's veil and laid it out across the armchair in the corner so Eddie could focus on teasing Flash's braid out from its updo, combing his fingers through Flash's hair—

"Gonna fall asleep..." Flash closed his eyes and tried to stay upright, but Eddie's hands were so comforting.

Eddie leaned forward to kiss his shoulder. "At least wash your face first." He reached around to unbutton Flash's dress jacket. "And your legs."

Flash groaned, but he let Eddie pull his jacket off and lead him to the bathroom.

And, okay, he was pretty sweaty...

Off with his new rings, off with his cummerbund and his neck tab, his blouse and his skirt... He peeled off his camisole and dropped it on the floor. Sat on the toilet lid to deal with his prosthetic legs and take his underwear off without falling over. He blew a stray hair out of his face, as he set his legs aside, by the sink, and muttered, "That was the longest four hours of my life."

"But it was a good four hours."

Flash smiled. "Yeah." Eddie and the symbiote picked him up, as he said, "Pretty good."

The water was warm, and the symbiote had put in bubbles from a little complementary bottle sitting on the side of the tub, and Flash melted into it with a sigh. "Don't wash my hair."

Eddie hummed, rumbly against Flash's back.

The symbiote wrapped around them both, occasionally letting out soft burbling sounds. It found a clean cloth hanging up with the towels and used that to wash them itself—a funny sight, just a black tentacle with a white wash cloth, poking at Flash's chest, at his face.

"Gimme—" Flash took the cloth from it so he could wash his face, sitting up just for a little bit.

For a while they just lounged in the bath together, hands intertwined and the symbiote floating tendrils across the surface of the water, poking at bubbles. Calm, quiet and peaceful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I assume flash _must_ have army buddies who can be attendants/ushers, right....
> 
> Like I established in the notes of one of the (way) earlier chapters, Flash is probably genderqueer or a demi-girl and is fine with any pronouns, and is technically okay with masculine titles but vastly prefers unisex/neutral titles like coach, and feminine titles. So I'm still using the masc-coded pronouns, but he really likes the "ma'am"s and being called a beautiful bride Of Course...  
> and he'll probably prefer Mrs. Thompson-Brock over Mr.  
> I'm sure he'd get a kick out of being introduced as Eddie's wife but probably would offer "spouse" if someone asks the correct one to use. Like I said! Neutral or feminine are about equally preferred for him.  
> I was also originally planning to have Peter use different pronouns at some point as an actual Example of Flash liking multiple pronouns (and because I like Peter specifically being supportive about that) but then, no one ever referred to Flash in the third person and I thought it might be confusing to switch around in the text, and then I just straight up forgot? So it didn't happen. Oops.  
> Maybe I should just write a fic where I use she/her to refer to Flash the whole time... or they/them....  
> though I don't really have plans for a sequel after this tbh but who knows...
> 
> cake: 2 tiered choco layer cake with strawberry jam filling and blue pansies in the middle with crystal sugar edges, no topper, for the couple and the family.  
> pretty white cupcakes with strawberry jam filling and pansies on top for the rest of the guests.  
> The cupcakes are also next to like, a nice big buffet of mostly catered food—Flash may like to cook, but not for that many people and not on the like, night before his wedding dfkhjf—cooking to relax would have been more of a dinner-at-home thing and not a "food for wedding guests" thing
> 
> NOTE: Honeymoon chapter moved to here: [ta-da](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18005990)


End file.
